The Drake Family – Raising our daughters on the range

Months ago, Kippi Leatham asked me to “blog” about raising two daughters on the shooting range.  I still don’t know much about blogging, even after watching Julie & Julia, but now that my girls, Carly and Sara, are ages 18 & 21, I do understand how we raised them on the range and I would not change one single thing.

A short note about me: When I was younger, I was a card-carrying Democrat; guns were okay as a child, when I was with my Grandpa on his farm.  As an adult, however, I wasn’t thrilled about them in my house – but guns were my husband, Larry’s, hobby.

Back to the family … When the Drakes moved west to Arizona from Nashville, TN, our first apartment was about 10 miles from Rio Salado Sportsman’s Club (RSSC).  I remember buying Larry a club membership because I thought it was a pretty part of the desert and I knew he would enjoy it.

The girls were too young to shoot, but any parent knows that they grow up fast.  In no time at all, Larry had them shooting at the main range.  We would also watch the Tuesday Night Steel matches together.  You could tell by looking at Carly and Sara they were very interested.  (I crocheted).  : )

Soon both girls were involved with the Junior Smallbore Program at RSSC.  They had the best coaches in the world and made lifelong friends.  Carly and Sara had played basketball, volleyball, participated in gymnastics and soccer, yet this was the sport they both enjoyed.  There were no parents fighting on the sidelines and the only opponent was their own set of goals.

They both received the NRA Distinguished Expert Award and competed in NRA National Matches.  Carly exceeded in Air Rifle as well.  She qualified twice to compete in the Junior Olympics at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.  Carly also shot the National Smallbore and Air Rifle Competition in Ft. Benning, GA.  During this period of shooting Smallbore, the girls were also shooting pistols – learning from the best and smiling all the time.

It was then when I realized no two children were the same, no matter how close they are.  The great thing about shooting is that each individual can enjoy different sports on the same range.  Carly dearly loved her precision rifle and air rifle, but Sara wanted to run-and-gun.

As soon as Sara received her Distinguished Expert Award, USPSA and 3-Gun competitions became her favorites.  Sara went to the MGM/AMU Junior Camp twice and both girls attended Jerry and Kay Miculek’s USPSA Junior Camp.

Sara just recently returned from the 2010 Steel Challenge (World Speed Shooting Championship) in Piru, CA., where she had the time of her life – thanks to Angus Hobdell.  They met junior shooters from all over the country and very much look forward to keeping in touch with them.

Sara and Carly have also volunteered during the annual Desert Classic and Mystery Mountain 3-Gun Matches as range officers.

Throughout this process of raising our family on the range, the girls received nothing but encouragement from some of the greatest shooters in this country; with the support of the entire shooting community.  The “range” became more like a home than anything, and the other shooters were just part of the family; Family that you wanted to hang out with, that you wanted advice from.

Carly is now a full-time student and a full-time employee at Dillon Aero.  She is still interested in precision rifle – just with a much larger caliber.  You might see her occasionally on the cover of the Dillon Blue Press.

My baby Sara, “The Saranator”, “The Big Deal” (dubbed by Rob Leatham), has enlisted in the United States Army and leaves on September 28^th.  We are so very proud of our girls and wouldn’t have changed their upbringing one bit!

It doesn’t “take a village to raise a child” – it takes “a range”.   The Drake family thanks you all!  

In case you were wondering about my priorities, I just returned from voting in the REPUBLICAN primaries!  I also put down the crochet needle and picked up a revolver.  If you can’t beat ‘em,  join ‘em!

Gail Drake