Chelsey Petit, Archery Instructor – Breathe in confidence and exhale fear

Breathe in confidence and exhale fear.

I was very fortunate to grow up with a father and brother who always included me on their hunting/outdoor excursions. I joined the hunting world at 10 years old and never looked back. Whether it be sitting in the tree stand on a cool fall morning or simply shooting a few arrows off the deck after work. Shoot like a Girl has given me the ability to share my passion of hunting/archery with anyone who walks through the trailer door.  Shoot Like a Girl enables me to allow women to try out something they may otherwise never get the opportunity to do.  I am able to contribute my knowledge in a space designed for them; un-rushed, no judgement, and no pressure. I am very fortunate to have been with Shoot Like a Girl since 2014. Starting out I didn’t have a role in instructing, more so merchandising and engaging with women to encourage them to take the chance on conquering a fear or simply satisfying their curiosity. 6 years, umpteen states, and countless arrows later, here I am.

One of my favorite things about being an instructor is having the conversation with a client who doesn’t believe they are capable to shoot a bow, the confidence isn’t there.

After conversation and step by step instruction she draws back the bow for the first time and releases her arrow and hits the target. As soon as that arrow has been safely released I look right to my shooters face; their looks of pure excitement/awe of the “I really just did that”. The fact that someone is willing to put their trust in me to try something that seems unnerving to them, and we successfully complete the task together is beyond rewarding. The questions that follow their experience on how to get started, gear/tools needed, etc means I did my job right, I brought someone into archery that may never otherwise had the opportunity. I ignited the spark.

I once heard someone say “You cant do epic things with basic people”, and that holds true to Shoot Like a Girl.

A collective group of women from various backgrounds with the same goal, epic people doing epic things.