Fave: Julie Goloski

In addition to just a couple of accomplishments under her belt  like, say, this list:

9 – Time USPSA Ladies National Champion

5 – Time Ladies World Speed Shooting Champion

3 – Time IDPA Ladies National Champion

The Only Five Division USPSA Ladies National Champion & ?The Only Triple Crown USPSA Ladies National Champion

US Army Female Athlete of the Year & US Army Marksmanship Unit Athlete of the Year

2 – Time NRA Bianchi Cup Ladies Open Champion

American Handgunner Ladies Champion

International Revolver Championships Ladies Open Champion
•    2009 Steel Challenge Ladies Production World Champion
•    NRA Action Pistol Open High Master
•    2009 International Revolver Championships -?Ladies Open Champion
•    2009 NRA Bianchi Cup Ladies National Champion

… it turns out that the generally badass Julie is an absolutely lovely person!  I had the opportunity to ask her a few questions on my quick stop in to the truly massive SHOT Show 2010 convention and find out more about this chick who represents our ilk so well.
Girls’ Guide’s Natalie Foster: So how did it all come about? How did you become a shooter?
Julie Goloski: I’m a daddy’s girl! Growing up my dad would take me to the range with him and I’d play with the brass (bullet casings) for fun while he shot the targets. It wasn’t long before I was shooting, too. I entered my first competition at 14 and the rest is history.
NF: Why do you think it is important for women to get out there and shoot?
JG: Number one, I firmly believe in the Second Amendment. There are many women out there who may have an anti-gun stance because they just don’t know the facts. They’ve painted a dark picture of guns and firearms in general. I think that women are naturally interested in being more educated about things and it only makes sense that they become educated about firearms; how they work, what they can do, and most of all give shooting a try.
NF: Talk to me about overcoming the intimdation factor that many women feel when first venturing into the world of firearms. What is happening within the firearms market to make that happen?
JG: You know, the best dealers are female friendly. They have women on the staff and they welcome you and make you feel like you belong. Some segments of the market may not be interested in that. I will say that this one more than any other SHOT show I’ve attended was more female friendly than ever.
NF: Yes, I saw a lot of women there- more than I expected.
JG: Yeah, and there are a lot of females in executive positions in companies. Smith & Wesson has several, Otis has several. There is now an understanding that there is a huge untapped market. Fifty-percent of the population!! Its huge! It’s traditionally a mans game, you know, a man’s world. I think it is a challenge for women to jump into that, but there are so many successful women who have really set the bar high and done great things.
NF: Tell me about your signature Smith & Wesson pink grip M&P pistol and how it came to be.
JG: My husband and I were having dinner with friends and unfortunately cancer had affected their lives. One of them brought up the idea that ‘wouldn’t it be wonderful if there were a firearm to support breast cancer awareness?’.  And so we talked about it a bit and  realized the Smith&Wesson M&P with the interchangeable backstrap is the perfect gun for it.  If you want to use the pink backstrap, you can, if not, you don’t have to. So we presented it to the company and they embraced it. We further accessorized it with the sights I use in competition and an awareness ribbon engraved on the slide. What I love about it is that it’s not just another pink gun.  It’s a pink gun with a purpose.  So, to have my name attached to it is really quite an honor.
NF: What advice would you give to someone who has never picked up a gun or has a fear of firearms?
JG: I suggest getting the facts. The fear of something can be far worse than the experience. I think the first thing to do is face it and learning how a particular gun works and what to expect when you take that first shot takes a lot of that tension away. I highly recommend seeking out knowledgeable sources,  trainers, courses, instructors to help guide them through the process. It’s almost like riding a roller coaster for the first time. You’re in line, you feel that anxiety and stress and you don’t know if you’ll like it or not and then after you do it, more often than not, you just love it. You can’t wait to get back on. I think shooting is a lot like that.
NF: Has your perspective on guns changed at all since you’ve become a mom?
JG: It really hasn’t. Thanks to my parents I didn’t grow up with a fear of firearms but rather a respect for them. Hunting and shooting was just a part of our lives and I hope that we can continue that heritage. Both my husband and I are really passionate about shooting and hunting and  want to extend that to our daughter and help her grow up and have the same opportunities.
NF: Personally, I view guns kind of like golf clubs. To me shooting is a sport. How do you perceive guns?
JG: You know, I view them as tools. It’s like a hammer for a nail, a computer for communicating, a phone for talking, it’s just another tool to me. The internet can be dangerous place, you just have to understand what you are getting in to and have respect for it and go to the right places and the right routes. Guns are very much like that. We’ve got to respect them.
NF: And lastly, can you just explain in layman’s terms what it is that you do?
JG: (laughs) Sure. It is daunting with all the shooting sports there are out there. Basically what I call it is “Action Shooting.” It’s accuracy and speed and gun handling abilities all wrapped in to one package. Now, there are several different shooting sports that fall in to Action Shooting and they all have their own rules and competition flavors and some weigh speed over accuracy and vice versa. Basically, it is being able to shoot on demand at a variety of targets within certain time constraints.  It involves practical gun handling skills like drawing from a holster, changing your magazines, sometimes even shooting while moving and shooting targets that move.
Well, that explains a lot. Now I just have to persuade Julie to let me go shoot with her some time!
Another fact that qualifies Julie as super classy in the Girls’ Guide book of classiness: In addition to  all the amazing things she does for breast cancer, Julie has been known, on more than one occasion, to donate several feet of her gorgeous hair to Locks of Love. That puts her at the very top of our Classy list! Check out their website, donate, and tell them Julie Goloski sent you!
Thanks, Julie, for the great interview. Now let’s go shoot!

https://juliegoloski.com