About Cara and Spirit Firearms Training
My passion is to help people become more confident and competent with firearms and personal safety through education and guided training. I specialize in semi-automatic pistol coaching in a small, intimate classroom setting or one-on-one basis. I also have obtained credentials in the specifics to training women. I am a consummate student, constantly furthering my learning and training to be a more effective instructor for coaching firearms and self-defense concepts using adult learning methods.
The premise behind the name Spirit Firearms Training and use of “Spirit” is three-fold, represented by the triangle. One point is for our 2nd amendment right for firearm ownership (American spirit), but also another point is spirit is in the sense of empowering people (especially women) through education and practice to protect themselves, as well as showing that firearms can also be an enjoyable pastime, as in competitions and hunting. Finally, the third point represents my Christian beliefs and the Trinity, especially the Holy Spirit, who is with us and guides us at all times, as a part of God and Jesus in our lives.
My "day job" is working with Mantis (www.mantisx.com) to help educate end users and instructors on their suite of firearms training products. I've lived in Northwest Arkansas for over 25 years with my husband, Brian. When I'm is not doing firearms coaching, you can find me shooting in competitions, practicing at the range, spending time cooking in the kitchen or streaming cooking shows on TV.
The premise behind the name Spirit Firearms Training and use of “Spirit” is three-fold, represented by the triangle. One point is for our 2nd amendment right for firearm ownership (American spirit), but also another point is spirit is in the sense of empowering people (especially women) through education and practice to protect themselves, as well as showing that firearms can also be an enjoyable pastime, as in competitions and hunting. Finally, the third point represents my Christian beliefs and the Trinity, especially the Holy Spirit, who is with us and guides us at all times, as a part of God and Jesus in our lives.
My "day job" is working with Mantis (www.mantisx.com) to help educate end users and instructors on their suite of firearms training products. I've lived in Northwest Arkansas for over 25 years with my husband, Brian. When I'm is not doing firearms coaching, you can find me shooting in competitions, practicing at the range, spending time cooking in the kitchen or streaming cooking shows on TV.
Cara Conry's Certifications/Credentials include:
Arkansas State Police Concealed Carry Instructor #18-1397
- Basic CHCL
- Enhanced CHCL
- CHCL Renewals
- NRA Basics of Pistol Training
- NRA CCW Course (NRA Concealed Carry/Defense Curriculum)
- NRA Personal Protection Inside the Home
- NRA Refuse To Be A Victim
The Complete Combatant - Deliberate Coaching Certified Instructor
The Complete Combatant - Image Based Decisional Drills (IBDD) Instructor
Ed Monk Active Shooter Instructor Certification
Tom Givens Rangemaster Certified Instructor
Cougar Mountain Solutions Pistol Mounted Optics Instructor
Tactical Anatomy Systems Certified Instructor (Shooting with Xray Vision)
The Well Armed Woman (TWAW) Certified Instructor
Armed Women of America Chapter Leader
- Northwest Arkansas Chapter, meeting at Ozark Sportsman Supply in Tontitown, AR
- Beaver Lake Chapter, meeting at NWA Tactical and Range in Rogers, AR
Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, 1996
NRA Basic Instructor Training (Mike Abramovich), February 2018
The Well Armed Woman Instructor Training (Carrie Lightfoot), February 2018
Rangemaster Combative Pistol (Tom Givens), September 2019
Rangemaster Instructor Development (Tom Givens), June 2020
Active Self Protection (ASP) - Evidence Based Pistol (John Correia, Neil Weidner, Stephannie Weidner), August 2020
Rangemaster Tac-Con, March 2021
- Live Fire sessions with Brian Hill, Tim Herron, Karl Rehn, John Daub
- Classroom sessions with Ed Monk, Tiffany Johnson, Aqil Qadir and Greg Ellifritz
Gunsite 250 Pistol Class (Jerry McCown, Freddie Blish, Charlie McNeese, Gary Smith), May 2021
ASP - National Conference, September 2021
- Live Fire sessions with Neil Weidner, Brian Hill, AJ Zito, Paul Carlson
- Classroom sessions with Chuck Haggard (OC Spray), Brian Hill
The Complete Combatant - Image Based Decisional Drills Instructor Class (Brian Hill), October 2021
The Complete Combatant - Reactionary Zones Class (Shelley Hill), December 2021
Redhawk Firearm Training - The Test (Samuel Middlebrook), March 2022
The Complete Combatant - Deliberate Coaching Instructor Class (Brian Hill), April 2022
ASP - Evidence Based Pistol Skills (John Correia, Neil Weidner), May 2022
The Complete Combatant - 2 Day Red Dot Concepts (Brian Hill), August 2022
Last Resort Firearms Training - Active Shooter Instructor Class (Ed Monk), October 2022
Active Self Protection Instructor Cohort #5 Graduate, October 2022
ASP - Evidence Based Pistol Skills (John Correia, Neil Weidner), April 2023
ASP - Evidence Based Shotgun Skills (John Correia, Neil Weidner), April 2023
The Mingle 2023 Participant, May 2023
- Live Fire Sessions with Brian Hill, Kaery Dudenhofer/Stephannie Weidner
- Classroom session with Sarah Hauptman
Active Self Protection National Conference, September 2023
- Live Fire sessions with Brian Hill, Neil Weidner, Christopher Bean and Tyler Tharp
Tactical Shotgun for Home Defense (Greg Ellifritz), April 2024
The Complete Combatant - The Inner Game of Shooting (Brian Hill), June 2024
Active Self Protection National Conference, September 2024
- Live Fire sessions with Christopher Bean, Ross Hick and Gabe New
- Live Fire sessions with Erick Gelhaus (shotgun), Mickey Schuch, AJ Zito, and Wayne Dobbs.
ASP Skills Summit (Neil Weidner, Christopher Bean), March 2025
Active Self Protection National Conference, September 2025
- Live Fire sessions with Neil Weidner/Christopher Bean and HK CC9 Operator Course
Tactical Advantage (Christopher Bean) - One Day Deductive Pistolcraft, October 2025
ASP Skills Summit (Neil Weidner, Christopher Bean), March 2026
Bentonville Police Department Women's Self Defense Seminar, April 2026
Tactical Anatomy Systems (Dr. James Williams) - TAS Instructor Certification , June 2026
Active Self Protection National Conference, August 2026
- Live fire sessions with Gabe White and Kaery Dudenhofer
- Instructor for Introduction to Dry Fire, Dynamic Dry Fire and a Dry Fire Drills Clinic
