Julie Golob Wins First-Ever “Woman of the Gun” Award

The NSSF named ace shooter and safety advocate Julie Golob the winner of its first-ever “Woman of the Gun Award” during the 2022 SHOT Show in Las Vegas. The award recognizes Golob’s achievements and contributions to shooting sports, as well as her work to promote the mission and message of NSSF’s Project ChildSafe program.

“Julie is a mom, veteran, hunter, and one of the most decorated handgun shooting champions in the world,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF’s President and CEO. “For more than a decade, she’s also been an invaluable partner to our Project ChildSafe program, giving of her time, her talents and her energy to promote firearm safety education.”

Julie’s career in competitive shooting started when she took top honors in several matches as a junior competitor, leading up to her recruitment by the U.S. Army Shooting Team. Since then, she earned more than 150 major championship titles, including more than 50 world and national titles, over the past 20+ years. She is also the first woman in history to win U.S. Practical Shooting Association Championships in all seven handgun divisions.

Golob began working with NSSF’s Project ChildSafe program in 2013, lending her name and expertise to a host of firearm safety education efforts, including guests columns, social media campaigns, public appearances, and videos—including a feature video on how to talk to kids about gun safety.

“As a mother, I know full well how challenging this conversation can be,” Golob said. “It’s crucial that parents set an example and teach their kids about firearm safety so children don’t learn about guns solely from what their friends say or what they see on video games and TV.”

“Too often, children don’t know what to do if they find a gun,” said Steve Sanetti, President and CEO of NSSF, which developed and sponsors the Project ChildSafe firearm safety education program. “This video opens a door for honest conversation and empowers parents to be the authority on gun safety for their kids, whether they have guns in their homes or not.”

Julie — pistol champion, Army veteran, wife and mother, is also an accomplished author, who has written about the shooting sports in many publications, newswires, and internet blogs. Her book, Shoot: Your Guide to Shooting and Competition, serves as both an introduction to firearms for novices and a primer to help experienced shooters improve their skills.