Shownotes
Professional competitive shooter Jalise Williams joins hosts Kaylee and John for a conversation about a career built on discipline, family, and a deep love of firearms history. A Team USA representative, Jalise is a 12-time world champion with 43 national titles and more than 200 major wins, and she became the first woman in the United States to qualify for the USA Overall Team (long called the Men's Team) at the Handgun World Shoot. She traces it all back to St. George, Utah, where she grew up hunting with her father from the time she was in diapers. After her mother took a local ladies' night clinic and suggested she learn handguns, Jalise and her sister fell in love with the sport and entered the competitive circuit. Twelve years later, she is at the top of it.
She walks through what making the Overall Team actually takes: a two-year qualification across your best three of four national championships, with only the top four competitors selected. After one of the best matches of her life she slipped into the fourth spot, then went to the world championship and came home with two gold medals. Jalise shoots for Colt, where she has been on the team for seven years after a stint with Springfield Armory and a breakout single-stack season on two Colt Gold Cups. A history lover, she is proud to represent a brand so embedded in American history, and she now helps test Colt products before release. She also opens up her training: when she is home, three hours a day on the range, dry fire, a CO2 kit for simulated recoil, daily gym work, and a fundamentals block of about 100 rounds on one-inch dots at 5, 7, and 10 yards that she has run for a decade.
The back half turns to community and history. Jalise encourages women entering the sport to use social media to connect with other women shooters and to lean on resources like online classes and groups such as A Girl & A Gun and The Well Armed Woman, with Steel Challenge as a beginner-friendly first discipline. She shares her family's hunting tradition, including a South Africa hunt tied to last year's world championship and a bucket list that runs from moose to dove hunting in Argentina. Her love of history shows in her favorites, from the Single Action Army to black powder guns, and in a top-five list that includes the 1911, the 2011, and the AR-15. On the Soapbox, she gets candid about the mental side of competition, the habit of getting in her own head, and why staying willing to fail and learn is the only way to keep climbing.
Questions this episode answers
How did Jalise Williams get into competitive shooting?
She grew up hunting with her father in St. George, Utah from a very young age. After her mother got a concealed carry permit and took a local ladies' night clinic, she suggested Jalise learn handguns too, and Jalise and her sister fell in love with the sport and entered the competitive circuit twelve years ago.
What does qualifying for the USA Overall (Men's) Team actually mean?
Team USA selection runs off your best three of four national championships over two years, with only the top four competitors chosen. Jalise slipped into the fourth spot after one of the best matches of her life, then won two gold medals at the world championship, becoming the first US woman to make that team.
Why does Jalise Williams shoot for Colt?
She has been on the Colt team for seven years, after shooting Springfield Armory and then winning a national-title season with two Colt Gold Cups in single stack. A Shooting USA recommendation connected her to Colt, and she values the brand's place in American history. She now helps test Colt products before release.
How does a professional competitive shooter train?
When she is home, Jalise trains about three hours a day on the range, dry fires, and uses a CO2 kit for simulated recoil, plus daily gym work. She starts every session with fundamentals, roughly 100 rounds on one-inch dots at 5, 7, and 10 yards, a drill she has run for about ten years.
What is the first step to getting into competitive shooting?
She suggests watching videos, researching shooting organizations, and going to spectate a local match. Steel Challenge is her recommended starting discipline because it is beginner-friendly and builds fundamentals, and talking to local shooters can help you borrow gear and ease into your first match.
What advice does Jalise Williams have for women entering the firearms industry?
Use social media to connect with other women in competitive shooting, and lean on resources like online classes and women's organizations such as A Girl & A Gun and The Well Armed Woman. A little research helps you find the path and the discipline that fit you best.
How big a role does the mental game play in competitive shooting?
Jalise says the sport is largely mental, since anyone can have the skills but performing on demand under pressure is the hard part. She has struggled with getting in her own head and stresses staying willing to learn, grow, and fail, because that is how you reach the next level.
What does Jalise Williams consider the top guns that built America?
A history lover, she names the Single Action Army as a favorite, along with the 1911 she has shot for most of her career, the 2011 that built on it, and the AR-15. The hosts add classics like the M1 Garand and the Winchester 92.
Chapters
- 00:00 — Welcome and Jalise's record
- 00:33 — From hunting in diapers to the competitive circuit
- 01:41 — Qualifying for the USA Overall Team
- 03:10 — Shooting for Colt
- 04:49 — Getting started: Steel Challenge and fundamentals
- 09:27 — Inside a competitive shooter's training week
- 12:15 — Advice for women entering the sport
- 15:32 — Hunting as a family tradition
- 18:08 — Honoring firearms history
- 25:33 — Top guns that built America
- 31:16 — The Soapbox: the mental game of competition
- 36:21 — Where to find Jalise
About the guest
Jalise Williams is a professional competitive shooter and Team USA representative, a 12-time world champion with 43 national titles and more than 200 major wins, and the first US woman to qualify for the USA Overall Team (formerly the Men's Team) at the Handgun World Shoot. She grew up hunting in St. George, Utah and has competed for about 12 years, shooting for Colt for the last seven. She also runs an educational shooting series on YouTube.
Key quotes
"I slipped into that fourth spot and claimed it as mine" — Jalise Williams
"always being willing to learn and grow because there's somebody out there that knows something that you don't know" — Jalise Williams
"You have to be able to be willing to fail a lot and want to learn from those" — Jalise Williams
"I like to think of it as like the guns that built America" — Jalise Williams
Transcripts
Welcome to Gun Owners of America State of the second podcast.
Speaker A:I'm Kaylee.
Speaker B:I'm John.
Speaker B:And today we're joined by Jaleese Williams, who's a professional competitive shooter and Team USA representative.
Speaker B:A 12 time world champion, 43 national titles and 200 plus major wins.
Speaker B:She's also become the first woman in the United States to qualify for the USA Men's Classic Team at the Handgun World shoot.
Speaker B:So Jaylies, thank you for joining us.
Speaker B:What a list of accomplishments there.
Speaker C:Thank you very much.
Speaker C:Yes, I'm very proud of them.
Speaker B:So what got you into competitive shooting?
Speaker C:Oh gosh.
Speaker C:So it was, I mean I've always loved shooting, especially with my father.
Speaker C:I grew up hunting with him since was in diapers.
Speaker C:And like the first gun I ever shot was a.357 Marlin.
Speaker C:My dad cut the buttstock off so it would fit me.
Speaker C:So I've always been into guns, but we didn't realize competitive shooting was like an actual thing.
Speaker C:And then my mother got her concealed carry permit and realized, oh, I don't own a gun that's a handgun or know how to shoot one.
Speaker C:So she found a local ladies night clinic in our hometown in St. George, Utah.
Speaker C:She went out, loved it.
Speaker C:She's like, hey, I think my daughter should learn how to shoot handguns.
Speaker C:They know how to shoot shotguns or rifles.
Speaker C:It's time.
Speaker C:And my sister and I went out there, we fell in love with it and next thing you know, like we're getting introduced to the competitions and running with guns and then jumping into the competitive circuit and creating really good relationships with sponsors.
Speaker C:And 12 years later, here I am.
Speaker B:And so you've qualified for the men's team.
Speaker B:What is, can you explain to people what does that mean?
Speaker B:Because it sounds like a huge accomplishment.
Speaker C:It's definitely a really big accomplishment.
Speaker C:So there's quite the qualification process.
Speaker C:So in order to go for Team USA to a world shoot.
Speaker C:And in the past it's been two years, your best three out of four national championships and they take the top four, like best competitors with the top scores from those championships.
Speaker C:And so I mean I worked really hard for two years.
Speaker C:It's something I wanted to do but like I wasn't expecting to actually make it.
Speaker C:Trying to be realistic in my expectations, as I say.
Speaker C:And so traditionally in the past it's been referred to as the men's team.
Speaker C:So they've been sending ladies teams and then in a men's team which is called, it's now called the overall team for that specific division.
Speaker C:And I Had one of my best matches in my life at one of the national championships and I slipped into that fourth spot and claimed it as mine.
Speaker C:And then a year later went off to the world championship and walked away with two gold medals.
Speaker B:That's awesome.
Speaker B:And you're shooting for Colt now, is that correct?
Speaker C:Yes, sir.
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Speaker B:What has your experience been going internationally for some of these competitions?
Speaker B:You know, a lot of people look at the US and our gun laws and things, how we're going, then they look at the international laws and go, oh, that's got to be crazy.
Speaker B:There's no guns overseas.
Speaker B:You know, how has that experience been for you?
Speaker C:I mean, when there's major matches where they're expecting a lot of people from different countries to enter into the country that is hosting that major match, they really expedite the process that they work with their state, with their government and everything to expedite the process for this match, specifically for the competitive shooters that are coming in for it.
Speaker C:So we get the paperwork and everything beforehand.
Speaker C:They help us get it approved and everything.
Speaker C:So it's, it's, I wouldn't say it's simple, but match directors and other countries that are within the sports, they try to help as much as possible to ease us into whatever country it is.
Speaker A:For the people who are listening to this that might not have a background in competitive shooting but are interested in it, what's kind of the first step step that people can take to, to kind of get into this discipline?
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker C:I mean watching videos and stuff that way you kind of understand like what the sport's about.
Speaker C:Going to different shooting organizations, websites to read up on it, doing just a little bit of background research to see, like what sport do you want to do first?
Speaker C:I recommend starting in Steel Challenge because it helps work on your fundamentals.
Speaker C:It's mainly standing and shooting, your shooting, you know, A few stages at a time and you're just repeating that stage over and over again.
Speaker C:So it's very helpful and very beginner learner friendly.
Speaker C:So Steel Challenge is a great introductory to different practical shooting sports.
Speaker C:So watching videos on that, going to their website and even like finding a local match near you to just go and spectate for once, maybe twice, talking to the local shooters to see maybe you can borrow some gear, maybe you can ask one of them to like help you along when you're ready to take the step to actually shoot one of the matches.
Speaker B:You said you shoot for Colt.
Speaker B:What is that like?
Speaker B:And how do you choose what team you want to shoot for?
Speaker B:And being that kind of public face of that firearms company as a competitive.
Speaker C:Shooter, trying to think about how it all happened.
Speaker C:So I've been shooting with Colts.
Speaker C:I've been on the team for seven years.
Speaker C:Prior to that, I had shot with Springfield Armory for a couple of years and then I was on my own kind of exploring like, you know, different guns, buying a bunch of different guns and figuring out what platform I really liked.
Speaker C:And I ended up buying two Colt Gold cups to compete in single stack with.
Speaker C:And I really enjoyed those.
Speaker C:And I just.
Speaker C:That year I had a knockout year.
Speaker C:I won every national title I was up for and happened to at the time.
Speaker C:One of the face of Colts at the time she left and went to a different company and they were like, without a sports person.
Speaker C:And John Scouten from Shooting usa, they went to him because they sponsor his show.
Speaker C:They're like, okay, we need somebody now who is at the top.
Speaker C:And he was like, Jayleese Williams and she happens to shoot single stack and she happens to have these gold cups.
Speaker C:So yeah, they contacted me and I was like, this is the dream come true.
Speaker C:Because for me, I really love history.
Speaker C:I really love connecting with history and honoring it.
Speaker C:And Colt is embedded in American history.
Speaker C:So when I got the email asking if it's something I was interested in, I squealed like a little schoolgirl because that's exactly what I wanted always.
Speaker C:So it was, it was just kind of right place, right time.
Speaker B:Colt has this historic history about them, this name, you know, are you very proud of, of representing the Colt name and, and what that history stands for and seeing new innovations.
Speaker B:Do you have any say in any of the products that are coming out as well with them?
Speaker C:Yeah, I'm very proud to be part of Colts there.
Speaker C:Like I said, they're invented in American history.
Speaker C:They helped develop some of some of the greatest firearms in history.
Speaker C:I mean, in My opinion, and they just started so many different parts of our culture.
Speaker C:I really love being part of that company that helps American history and is very American made, American this, American that, because, you know, I'm a red blooded American from Utah.
Speaker C:Like it's part of my culture.
Speaker C:So I love being part of that.
Speaker C:I do.
Speaker C:I'm starting to work a little bit more with their product development team and we got some really cool products in the works.
Speaker C:I'm very excited to hopefully come out semi soon, but I am helping a little bit with product development and sometimes I get to test out the guns prior to release to see if there's tweaks or something that need to be made last minute.
Speaker C:But I really love being part of the company and a company that truly values me is absolutely wonderful.
Speaker A:So much of what you, you do is on, you know, even an international stage.
Speaker A:When you are in the US and doing the, the training, what does a general week look like?
Speaker A:How often are you at the range?
Speaker A:Like walk us through, like the habits of a competitive shooter.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:Oh goodness.
Speaker C:So for the past two years my job has kind of changed from full time competitive shooter being on the range every day to being on the road to different, you know, conventions and shows and media, all of that.
Speaker C:So I don't get to practice as much as I used to, but I try when I'm home and not on the road for four weeks.
Speaker C:I've been on the road for four weeks as of right now.
Speaker C:So when I'm home and I get to train, I like to be home and train every day I can for at least three hours on the range.
Speaker C:And in between I dry fire.
Speaker C:I have a really cool like CO2 training kit that I use to kind of get that stimulated recoil for when I can't make it out to the range for some reason.
Speaker C:And then I, I'm in the gym, you know, at least one hour a day.
Speaker C:And when I'm like, you know, months leading up, two months leading up to, you know, major world championships or international or nationals or something, I try to go twice a day with the rest day every three days.
Speaker A:Wow, that's, that's, that's fantastic.
Speaker A:What are some of the, the drills that you started with that have kind of held true as, you know, the most beneficial that you've worked into your routine?
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:So I would say I practice my fundamentals every day.
Speaker C:That's what I start my practice sessions off with.
Speaker C:I think a really easy thing that other competitive shooters kind of get into habit of is forgetting about the Fundamentals after you feel like you've mastered them after a few years and doing all the different dynamic stuff and work in that and then your fundamentals kind of like get neglected and it shows in their shooting.
Speaker C:So for me I don't want to do that.
Speaker C:I practice my fundamentals every morning that I'm on the range, every afternoon I'm on the range.
Speaker C:That's what I start my practice sessions off with.
Speaker C:About 100 rounds of that and I do 1 inch dots and I've been doing the 1 inch dots at you know, 5, 7 and 10 yards for about 10 years.
Speaker C:So that just helps keep everything in line.
Speaker C:Double checking, make sure my GOM's on, my ammo's working, make sure like I'm on because that's important that I'm on and I'm not like yanking my trigger or something, that I'm keeping everything in tune the way it's supposed to be.
Speaker B:Historically, the firearms industry has been a very male dominated industry.
Speaker B:We are seeing a lot of women come in.
Speaker B:What's the biggest piece of advice you could give to young women or women who want to get into this industry?
Speaker C:Yes, I would say social media is a really big part of, you know, our day to day lives now and I would say use that to your advantage.
Speaker C:That way you can, you know, connect with other women who are in the competitive shooting sports, like myself, my sister, Justine Williams, Lena Mitchell, like these all, these are all great resources to learn about competitive shooting or just shooting in general, where we like actually care about you and what you want to do with your firearm.
Speaker C:Whether to be competitive or to learn your fundamentals or self defense or anything.
Speaker C:So finding good resources online to kind of tune into regularly in order to find what fits best for you.
Speaker C:And then you know, there's a bunch of online classes, there's a bunch of, you know, women's organizations out there you can follow and you know, you can join and go to, you know, your local a girl and gun club or well armed women or.
Speaker C:There's so many resources out there now you just gotta do a little bit of research in order to figure out, you know, what's the best path for you.
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Speaker A:So as you have kind of progressed from taking classes in the very beginning with your mom and sister to being a full time competitor shooter, how do you keep the love of firearms kind of first and foremost when it is, you know, part of your day job and you know, there's, there's a lot of practice and drills that go into, into this.
Speaker C:Yes, I feel like it's always kind of there.
Speaker C:I guess it's like the nature versus nurture.
Speaker C:Like I feel like I was born with the love for it.
Speaker C:Born into a, you know, gun family, a hunting family.
Speaker C:So it's always there.
Speaker C:I definitely, at the end of, you know, a big season, I definitely get burnout.
Speaker C:Take you know, a few weeks off and then I'll feel that itch again where it's like, ah, it's like an addiction almost.
Speaker C:Like I start getting itchy and weird and everything.
Speaker C:Like oh, that's, I haven't touched my gun in two weeks.
Speaker C:That's probably why like right now I feel that way because I've been on the road, you know, going from show to show and filming with TV shows and everything and like, I don't get to touch my guns during that.
Speaker C:So I feel that way now where it's like I just, I, I need to go out and push, push myself and push my limits to like keep me in line and insane, you know, saying not inside.
Speaker C:Insane.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker A:So let's talk a little bit about, you know, the, the background that you grew up with hunting and, and how the, how that love of hunting has kind of continued as you've grown in the firearm space.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:I mean I, I was in diapers when I started hunting with my dad and my mom and everything.
Speaker C:So that's something we've continue to do together as a family, which I truly love.
Speaker C:And we've got to go on some really great hunts together.
Speaker C:The world championship last year that I was on the men's team, it was in South Africa.
Speaker C:So we, I was able to find a place where we could go hunt and hunt as a family and get some of those big animals we've kind of always dreamed of, especially my dad, because being a big hunter, Africa is kind of on that big hunter, you know, dream list.
Speaker C:So I gotta help them do that.
Speaker C:And they brought quite a few animals home and I brought a stable home myself.
Speaker C:And it's, it's how I like Ultra.
Speaker C:I'm already close to my family.
Speaker C:That's how it's like I ultra stay close to my family.
Speaker C:You know, it's something we've always been together, something I always want to do together.
Speaker C:The family unit.
Speaker A:That's fantastic.
Speaker A:So everybody has the story of their first time hunting.
Speaker A:I think you're probably the first person that we've had on the podcast that has been hunting since they were in diapers.
Speaker A:Is there anything left on.
Speaker A:On your list for, you know, your dream hunt?
Speaker C:Oh, my gosh, there's so many.
Speaker C:It's impossible to, like, go through the list, basically.
Speaker C:But I would say, like, bucket list, top list item for the hunting side is a moose.
Speaker C:I've always dreamed of, you know, going on a big old moose hunt, so I'd love to make that actually happen one day.
Speaker C:But I mean, bear and going back to South Africa and getting a few of the ones I missed the last time I was on.
Speaker C:I didn't actually miss them.
Speaker C:I just didn't.
Speaker C:I didn't want to spend that much money on all those animals.
Speaker C:Then there's like, New Zealand and just so many different places.
Speaker C:Dove hunting in Argentina would be amazing.
Speaker C:Like, there's.
Speaker C:There's so many out there that I would just absolutely die to do so.
Speaker A:I know we've talked about your dream hunts and everything that you hope to accomplish in.
Speaker A:In that world and, and how rooted you are with your family and.
Speaker A:And how they've inspired you to be on this competitive shooting journey.
Speaker A:I do have one area that we haven't seemed to touch yet, and that is your love of history.
Speaker A:And obviously that is reflected in who you shoot for.
Speaker A:But what do you want to be the big takeaway from, you know, the time that we're living in now and the history that you're creating as a competitive shooter.
Speaker C:I don't even know how this is such a good question.
Speaker C:I've never got it before.
Speaker C:I don't even know how to answer it.
Speaker C:I would say that, yes, we have all this new technology, especially in the firearms world, and, you know, we got all these new red dots and new handguns and rifles and all this new upgraded technology to keep up with everything going on in the world.
Speaker C:But I would say we still need to take time to reflect on, like, what got us here, what technology first was created in order to.
Speaker C:For all of this to happen.
Speaker C:And my mother is not well known, but my mother is.
Speaker C:Was a history teacher back in the day.
Speaker C:And so I grew up learning a lot about, like, the Civil War as well as, you know, Revolutionary War And World War II was a big one.
Speaker C:So I got to spend a lot of time with her.
Speaker C:And we learned so much about it.
Speaker C:And because I liked guns, we got to learn about a bunch of the firearms that helped us win certain wars and technology and everything.
Speaker B:You've been in the industry for a while.
Speaker B:If there was one thing that you could change about the industry or something that we could improve as an industry, what would that be?
Speaker C:It would be awesome to create more like thermal scopes and stuff, somehow get it to price cheaper because I, I've had object sponsors and stuff in the past and gotten really great discounts.
Speaker C:But like, man, it would be awesome if we could somehow, you know, figure out a way to make those cheaper because, oh, they're so cool.
Speaker C:And everybody should like go on a hunt, like a night hog hunt or coyote hunt with them because it's the most incredible thing.
Speaker C:That's just like my weird brain.
Speaker C:Like, oh my gosh.
Speaker C:It'd be awesome if everybody could own that because it was.
Speaker C:It's just amazing.
Speaker A:No, I figured you would be asking about what are favorite guns from history.
Speaker B:Well, I was just gonna ask that.
Speaker A:Because I'm like, this is like your jumping around.
Speaker A:This is, this is like his.
Speaker A:His thing.
Speaker B:Yes, it is my thing.
Speaker B:So here, here's the funny part.
Speaker B:We talk about guns in history and things like that.
Speaker B:A lot of people love John Moses Browning.
Speaker B: You, you shoot the: Speaker B:Me personally, I think his greatest design was the high power.
Speaker B:But everyone wants to fight me on that one.
Speaker B:So what are some of your favorite guns from history?
Speaker B:What are some guns that you don't own now that you want to own for their historical factor as well?
Speaker C:Sound cliche, but it's not.
Speaker C:I'm genuine when, like I talk about it.
Speaker C:But the Single Action army, like, oh, gosh, I just think that's the coolest gun I've ever like, felt.
Speaker C:I just feel so cool with it because it was used in so much of our history.
Speaker C:And the flintlocks are really cool.
Speaker C:The black powder stuff was awesome to kind of like go back and honor that.
Speaker C:I'm going to go black powder hunting, elk hunting with my dad this year.
Speaker C:The first time I'm ever going to join him on that specific hunt.
Speaker C:I've always done it, you know, rifle with him, but we're going to do black powder this time.
Speaker C:So very excited to use like the modern technology black powder guns and how they've improved over the past, you know, hundreds of years.
Speaker B:No, I love that the single, you.
Speaker B:You're after my own heart with the Single Action army because I Have two now.
Speaker B:I got a.
Speaker B:A set.
Speaker B:A set, I guess I can call it now because I've got one that.
Speaker B:The 310 to Yuma.
Speaker B:I've got the Hand of God, which is the.
Speaker B:If you've seen that one, I've got one of those and then I've got a nickel plated one.
Speaker B:My wife got them for me for Christmas.
Speaker B:Thank you, dear.
Speaker B:But I have a cowboy rig now because they're so cool.
Speaker B:And I live in Arizona, so it's like I had to get the western guns just for that.
Speaker C:Of course, yes.
Speaker C:That is awesome.
Speaker B:But it's one of those things like the Single Action army just for years it's been one of those things where like people, they kind of like disappeared.
Speaker B:Ish.
Speaker B:But then all the repros came out and everything came out and now it's.
Speaker B:The revolver revolution is here.
Speaker B:I'm going to say it now because everyone laughs at me when I say but the revolver revolution is here.
Speaker B:We're going back to revolvers.
Speaker B:You can call me a fud in the comments, I don't care.
Speaker B:But I love revolvers.
Speaker B:And just the technology of revolvers, I mean being that you worked for Colt, you know, you've got the, the Python and the Viper and all the Snake guns and everything like that.
Speaker B:It's just so cool to see all that stuff come back in our history.
Speaker B:Kind of people going back to those.
Speaker B:Retro is the right term, those older guns.
Speaker C:And I like to think of it as like the guns that built America, you know, kind of that big thing that like it just helped build everything we have today.
Speaker B:Oh, I couldn't agree more.
Speaker B:I there.
Speaker B:They're so iconic and that silhouette of everything.
Speaker B:Sorry, I can go nerd out for a little while.
Speaker B:I'm just going to sit in the corner because I love it.
Speaker A:No, but I think it's an important piece of our history.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like if you look at not only the guns that built America, as you were saying, but also, you know, when we look at our rights and what is happening with the court system today, if you look at, you know, the fundamentals of every court case in the United States, it's always been text, history, tradition when it comes to the protection of our rights.
Speaker A:And so it's important that as gun owners, we know the history of these guns.
Speaker A:We observe, you know, what got us here.
Speaker A:We respect it.
Speaker A:And then that also breeds a new layer of, of innovation or in the, in the case of what Farner saying, a renaissance even of bringing back some of those classic styles and really allowing the entire culture of the Second Amendment to thrive.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:In order for you to have a second amendment culture that's thriving, you need all aspects to be thriving.
Speaker A:And so oftentimes we see as kind of the internal culture wars of the second Amendment.
Speaker A:Well, you've got the hunters over here, or you've got the, you know, the retro crowd, or you've got the new gun owners, or you have all of the different disciplines.
Speaker A:And if you look at how the anti gunners attack, they.
Speaker A:They try to their best to attack sections because they know as a whole weren't harder to, to, to go against.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And so it's important that we recognize the different disciplines that we.
Speaker A:I'm babbling now, but I.
Speaker A:But you get what I'm saying.
Speaker C:No, I see what you're saying, and I wholeheartedly agree.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker B:So as you have gone through all these guns that you've shot and you've done things with, you know, because we have to do this, because we do this with a lot of people.
Speaker B:What are the top five guns that you want or top five guns?
Speaker B:Like, you just go, this is the list of the top five guns that were ever produced.
Speaker C:The top five guns that were ever produced.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker C: bviously the invention of the: Speaker C: I'm like the: Speaker C:So like, I've always been.
Speaker C:I've shot it like wholeheartedly for 11 out by 12 years in the sport.
Speaker C:So those two, I would say.
Speaker C: The, the: Speaker C: go anywhere without seeing a: Speaker C: at's really cool because like: Speaker C: Just build off the: Speaker C:It was awesome.
Speaker C:I'm a big handgun person, obviously, and.
Speaker C:Like my bed woman's, I guess, like, you know, the AR15 when it came around, because that's a big one used in, you know, not only like a lot of households and our culture and everything, but also like helping our military that really, you know, stepped up the game.
Speaker C:And.
Speaker C:Yet right now I'm like, I'm gonna, I'm in a blank space, unfortunately.
Speaker C:My brain is fried.
Speaker A:It's okay.
Speaker A:You said you've been on the road for four weeks?
Speaker C:Four weeks.
Speaker C:Oh, gosh, yes.
Speaker C:Doing like back to back stuff.
Speaker C:I'm like, there goes my mind.
Speaker A:It's okay.
Speaker A:Listen, especially, you know, you're at a trade show right now.
Speaker A:The amount of Talking that you have to do during those, like when you're in it, you understand it.
Speaker A:So don't worry.
Speaker A:Total grace here.
Speaker C:I really enjoy trade shows.
Speaker C:I find it very fun and everything because I get to talk to a lot of the consumers.
Speaker C:It's very different from like, you know, industry events like shot show.
Speaker C:I really enjoy, you know, talking and discussing with consumers and especially like working the cold booth and everything.
Speaker C:I can hear so many stories about like, oh, I remember when, like my dad had his python or blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Speaker C:Now I own the new python.
Speaker C:And I love hearing those stories because it just warms my heart.
Speaker C:Like I grew up with stories like that.
Speaker A:That's awesome.
Speaker A:And I love, again, it all goes back to, you know, building that legacy and that tradition.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:And so I think for anybody that is in that position to create those experiences and, you know, give your kids that memory that you got from your parents or your grandparents.
Speaker A:And if you didn't grow up in a firearm household, you know, reminding your family and your friends, like, why you got into this in the first place will also help bring them along.
Speaker A:Right for the journey.
Speaker A:And so I also, I get so much joy when we host our convention every year, meeting with our members and them saying what brought them into the advocacy space, what brought them into the shooting space.
Speaker A:And I agree with you.
Speaker A:I think there's something so invigorating about the community getting together to celebrate the second Amendment, to celebrate something that we all love.
Speaker A:And, you know, it helps build momentum for what's next.
Speaker B:I have a number five slot for her.
Speaker B:I've just been thinking, this M1 Garand.
Speaker C:Okay, okay.
Speaker B:M1 carbine.
Speaker C:What's the number five slot?
Speaker C:I'm so interested.
Speaker B:M1 grand.
Speaker B:M1 carbine can go in there.
Speaker B:Or the Winchester 92.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker B:All guns that built America in one way or the other.
Speaker B: Maybe even the: Speaker B:Maybe even the trapdoor.
Speaker B:I'm just going to keep listing off guns because I'm a nerd.
Speaker C:There's so many.
Speaker C:There's so much, so hard.
Speaker C:I mean, I know the M1 grand is like kind of obvious, but it's also like deeply built America, you know?
Speaker B:Yeah, 100%.
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Speaker A:All right, so it is time for my favorite segment, which is from the Soapbox where we dive into the spicier sides of the conversation.
Speaker A:So I really want to go into the mental mindset that you have to have in order to be a competitive shooter.
Speaker A:And what are the big things that people don't realize that you have to train from a mental aspect in order to go into these competitions and compete on such a.
Speaker A:A big stage?
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:So the mindset is a big deal, obviously.
Speaker C:And there's so many people.
Speaker C:It's like, well, sports like 90% mental.
Speaker C:And that's true.
Speaker C:Like, man, anybody can have the skills, but are they able to perform it on the spot, on command, on demand, you know, in front of a crowd, you, you know, with, you know, at a world championship where the pressure is, you know, the highest level.
Speaker C:So the mental aspect is very, very important.
Speaker C:I will admit I've struggled with it for a lot of years.
Speaker C:I have this really bad tendency to get in my own head and freak myself out and dig myself into such a hole that's like almost impossible to get out of.
Speaker C:And then, you know, once, like, all hope is lost, then I'm like, okay, whatever.
Speaker C:And I like, shoot amazing.
Speaker C:And I somehow climb out this hole because it's like, you know, it's.
Speaker C:It's a horrible habit and I can't.
Speaker C:I'm still learning.
Speaker C:And I feel like, you know, if you're in a competitive space, no matter what your sport is like, you need to always learn and grow because there's always that little something that you're fighting for in order to get to the next level or half a level or just get that much better than, you know, everybody else.
Speaker C:So I would say always being willing to learn and grow because there's somebody out there that knows something that you don't know is you don't know everything.
Speaker C:I don't know everything, and I'm still learning and growing and I actively want to and try to.
Speaker A:I think that's so valuable.
Speaker A:And it reminds me of the episode that we did with Gabby because she's getting her, or maybe already got her master's degree or doctorate degree at this point in psychology of high performance athletes.
Speaker A:And she's in this space as well as a competitive shooter.
Speaker A:And she talks about, you always have to have something that you're moving towards and a mindset of, I'm going to get better incrementally.
Speaker A:It's not going to happen overnight.
Speaker A:The fortitude that's required for somebody to be in the competitive space and that, that directly translates to every person, whether you're going to take your first class or going to shoot your first competition.
Speaker A:It's all about those incremental improvements.
Speaker C:Right?
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:I mean, if you can't take criticism or, you know, the taste of failure, then you're never going to ever grow and get to the next level and do something amazing and achieve your goals.
Speaker C:You have to be able to be willing to fail a lot and want to learn from those.
Speaker C:And that's, it's, it leaves a horrible taste in your mouth when you fail.
Speaker C:I failed big time.
Speaker C:A lot.
Speaker C:And it's, it's just one of those things, like you have to, you just have to persevere and get through it because it's only for a short amount of time before you're able to learn and grow from it and do the next thing.
Speaker C:And then all of a sudden everything, you know, and then you're like, okay, I'm on it.
Speaker C:And then next thing you know, you're failing again.
Speaker C:But it's something different.
Speaker C:So it's just that, that constant cycle and you just need to persevere through it because hard times don't last forever.
Speaker A:No, I think that you're 1,000% right.
Speaker A:And it's, it's so refreshing, I think, for all of us that are not in the competitive shooting realm to realize that, you know, failure is as a part of, of growth and whether we're wanting to get into that space or just be better shooters.
Speaker A:So I think that that's awesome, real world practical advice that we can all benefit from.
Speaker A:So thank you for that and then thank you for being on the show today.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:Thank you so much for having me on.
Speaker C:I appreciate you taking the time and I'm sorry that I'm like, not in my really nice studio.
Speaker C:I'm just like in a hall outside of the showroom floor.
Speaker A:It is all good.
Speaker A:Well, we gift from you that is spons gift for you that is sponsored by Palmetto State Armory.
Speaker A:So after the show, you'll be receiving an email as a thank you for being on season three of the podcast.
Speaker A:And thank you to Palmetto State Armory for sponsoring this season's gift for our guest.
Speaker A:So plug your socials where everybody can find you and follow along this journey as you continue to just claim victory after victory.
Speaker C:Thank you so much.
Speaker C:I appreciate it.
Speaker C:But you want me to, like, save my social?
Speaker A:Yeah, just wherever people can find you.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker C:So I'm on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Speaker C:Facebook is jayleese Williams shooting.
Speaker C:Instagram is Jaylees underscore Williams underscore shooting.
Speaker C:And then YouTube is Jayleese Williamsshooting.
Speaker C:And I've been doing a lot with YouTube lately.
Speaker C:I started an educational series.
Speaker C:So if you want to learn how to be a better shooter or how to get into the sports and everything, that's a great place for you to kind of go to.
Speaker C:And I hope that helps everybody who has questions, because I want to take the knowledge I've learned over, you know, my career and, you know, help teach up the next generation and build confidence in women and just create better shooters and help people because it's enjoyable.
Speaker A:That is fantastic.
Speaker A:Yes, it is.
Speaker A:Well, thank you for listening to this week's episode of the State of the Second podcast.
Speaker A:Be sure to, like, share and subscribe.
Speaker A:Leave a five star review on the podcasting platforms.
Speaker A:That helps us more than anything.
Speaker A:And be sure to register for goals.
Speaker A:The Gun Owners Advocacy and Leadership Summit, Goa's 50th anniversary celebration in Des Moines, Iowa, August 1st and 2nd.
Speaker A:You can reserve your tickets now and we'll see you in Iowa.
Speaker B:Bye, guys.
