OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — If you were put into a situation where you had to use a gun, would you know what to do?
A new class in the metro aims to take the intimidation out of pulling the trigger.
Hundreds of women ages 18 to 80 have already taken the class.
“The ladies come in a lot of times scared, nervous. I think almost all of them have been nervous coming into the class not quite sure what to expect, and by the time they leave they’re asking when the next class is, what they do next, how to buy a gun, and are excited to get more involved,” said Susan Hutchcraft.
Hutchcraft is the owner and instructor of Not a Victim Training. She’s also a police officer.
“Being able to give people that confidence. Being able to, whether they choose to ever have a gun or not, they stand a little taller, they carry themselves a little more confident. They have a little more trust in themselves and their gut instincts, and how they’re going to handle things,” Hutchcraft said.
She said most of her students are first time and beginning shooters.
“My husband and my grown sons are saying, ‘go, mom, go!’ You know it’s just, in terms of, it’s a new opportunity, and if it fits for you, you know take it to the next level,” said first-timer Caroline Huffman.
“I don’t even own one. I don’t even know if I’ll go buy one, but I just wanted to be more comfortable,” said beginner Krissy Wade.
Both ladies got what they came for in the class, and got to shoot a handgun in a safe environment with Hutchcraft by their side.
“It was good. Still a little nerve wracking, but yeah it was fun,” Wade said.
“After I shot that first round I could feel myself becoming more comfortable, more competent, and it was as I shared before we even came, you know, part of what this does is empower, and I definitely felt empowered,” Huffman said.
Hutchcraft said the class is a great way to make friends and learn something new.
“They’re a team, and they’re working through this together, and I’ve noticed as we go through the classes that even though they’re free to leave after their shooting time, a lot of times, they`ll stick around to cheer everybody else on,” Hutchcraft said.
She says it’s all about education, and if you are scared of guns, its a safe and easy way to find out if its something you are interested in.
Hutchcraft teaches a number of classes across the metro, and also offers personal shooting lessons. You can check out her schedule here.