Shelley Hill wears a "bunch of hats"! Brian named her the Indispensable Organization Wizard about 20 years ago and that has become her official title.
Shelley is co-owner, XO and Instructor at The Complete Combatant. She is a HK Brand Ambassador and Endorsed Instructor, a Force Science Realistic De-Escalation Instructor, publishes monthly articles in Shooting Illustratedand Women's Outdoor Newsplus an occasional article for USCCA, teaches ONLINE classes, an Instructor Graduate of Modern Samurai Project's Red Dot Instructor program, NRA Certified Instructor, Certified NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, Refuse to be a Victim Instructor and is a Certified OC (Pepper Spray) Instructor through Chuck Haggard's Agile Training & Consulting.
She is the designer and mastermind behind Image Based Decisional Drills, Smart Choices, The Complete Combatant's annual The Mingle for professional ladies in the "firearms/self defense" industry and The Questfor pistol optic shooters andLockedIn Grip(liquid shooting sports chalk). Shelley is a presenter at Active Self Protection's National Conference, a presenter at The Well Armed Woman's Shooting Chapters National Leadership Conference and A Girl and a Gun's National Conference. She is a public speaker and loves to train!
Shelley wanted to share something with you....she is dyslexic. BIG TIME!!! Dyslexia is a learning disorder that can effect your reading, writing, speaking and spelling. Shelley won the lottery! After struggling most of her life she has come to excel in leaning through HANDS ON and IMAGES. She thought that other people, kids and adults, could benefit from learning the same way she does so Image based Decisional Drills, Reactionary Zones, Interrupt The Attack Cycle, and Smart Choices was born.
A large body of research indicates that visual cues help us to better retrieve and remember information. The research outcomes on visual learning make complete sense when you consider that our brain is mainly an image processor (much of our sensory cortex is devoted to vision), not a word processor. Words are abstract and rather difficult for the brain to retain, whereas visuals are concrete and, as such, more easily remembered.
Based upon research outcomes, the effective use of visuals can: Decrease learning time. Improve comprehension. Enhance retrieval. Increase retention.
She has come to the conclusion that DECISIONS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN TECHNIQUES. She believes that in understanding distances you can measure the violence options available to THE BAD PERSON and you can also measure OUR self protection options to react + act = respond. Most people have a hard time managing distances, so it is important to pair the decisional process with the lack of time and managing space when practicing. We need to think about how fast violence happens, limited choices and making the BEST decision based on the space and time available.
Shelley thought there was a GAP in our training and that we all need to have “well rounded” skills for self protection & not just train w a gun.
We needed a learning system that we can evaluate strengths & weaknesses of your decisions. Did you make ONE good FIRST decisions?
Visual cueing, pre-need decision making, tool cycling, and distance management need to be 2nd nature.
MINDSET, avoidance, deselection, & verbal commands are used MORE than any other forms of self defense.
Cognitive stacking decisions MUST be practiced often.
YOU HAVE TO STAY IN THE DECISIONS PROCESS until, well, you don't.
Training and practicing is a way of creating “files” in your brain that you recognize to thaw the freeze.
Her plate may be full but she is rich in all things important and would not change a thing....except add a few more hours to her day!
The Complete Combatant's founders, Brian and Shelley Hill, are President and Vice President of a 501c3 nonprofit organization called Blue Line Ponies, Inc. Blue Line Ponies is a retirement range (we now have 2 locations in North Georgia) dedicated to our country's service horses. This usually includes Mounted Patrol Unit, police horses, prison horses, search & rescue, and border patrol horses. These mature horse age out or are retired due to "lameness" and can easily end up in a kill pen, an abusive home where they are worked until they collapse, or are sold over and over again and are never truly "retired". Blue Line Ponies mission is to love, safeguard the dignity and comfort of our hard working ponies and to continue to provide the best care throughout their retirement. They worked tirelessly working with their human partners and they deserve nothing but the best.
Why did they name it Blue Line Ponies? Good question! The "thin blue line" is a term that typically refers to the concept of the police as the line which keeps society from descending into violent chaos. The "blue" in "thin blue line" refers to the blue color of the uniforms of many police departments. They chose this name because it represents both police and police ponies, and the ideals of justice and freedom.
Graduate of Citizen Safety Academy's Effective Assistant Instructor Webinar Series
NAEMT First on the Scene
Certified "Suicide by Gun" Prevention Gatekeeper through QPR Institute to help recognize warning signs of a suicide crisis and understand how to refer someone to help.
Guest Speaker in the "self promotion" section at AMM-CON (Alternative Mass Media Conventions) September 2019 workshop in Arizona. Presentation title: "What's in Your Toolbox" = The Art of Activly Listening
WOMEN'S PISTOL MATCH = WHOOT! Made the top 8 shooters to compete in final "shoot off". I lost to the outstanding Cindy Bowser who ended up winning the whole match! Congrats Cindy! It was a fun day and I look forward to competing in the future!
Will be a student for life! Shelley shoots roughly 5000 rounds per year and is forever reaching for more accuracy, speed and holds her marksmanship to high standards!
Guest Speaker in the "self promotion" section at AMM-CON (Alternative Mass Media Conventions) September 2018 workshop in Chicago. Presentation title: "What's in Your Toolbox" = Guide with 4 tools needed to help in making NEW contacts...POSITIVE ENERGY. EDUCATE. CONFIDENCE. BRAVERY
Trip your Trigger with Lynn Givens, Eve Hera and Bigley
WOMEN'S PISTOL MATCH = Scored 197/200 in the "paper qualifier" (tied for the 3rd highest score) which got me into the top 8 shooters to compete in final "shoot off". 1st went to Melody Lauer, 2nd went to Lynn Givens and 3rd went to Sara Ryan! Congrats ladies!!
NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program in Defensive Pistol 1 by Claude Werner aka the Tactical Professor. Pro-Marksman, Marksman, Marksman 1st class, Sharpshooter, Expert and Distinguished Expert.
Alumni of Sean Brogan's Center Mass Tactical Training Pistol 1 & 2 and Rife 1 & 2. She trains in these classes many times per year
Violent Criminals and YOU: A Thinker's Approach to Decisions about Personal and Family Protection with William Aprill & Claude Werner aka the Tactical Professor
Red Dawn Response with Craig "Sawman" Sawyer of Tactical Insider (pistol & carbine training)