Cathy Gordon

That is not a typo, Ballance is my maiden name. My firearms training began as a child with my father, Kurt Ballance, in countless trips to the woods of coastal North Carolina shooting cans, bottles and the occasional paper target. Those times began a lifelong love of shooting and sharing good times and family bonding. I have continued this tradition with our children and grandchildren.

My journey into defensive firearm use began in 2000, when I overcame what I found to be unfounded fears and obtained my Carry Permit from the State of Indiana. Since then, I have worked to master the fundamentals of defensive firearms use and earned a Pistol Instructors Certification from the National Rifle Association. One of my greatest achievements to date was taking the opportunity to learn from Massad and Gail Ayoob of the Massad Ayoob Group, and Austin and Ashley Gibbons of The Sand Burr Gun Ranchin Rochester, Indiana. It was a very demanding firearms class consisting of 40 hours of class/range time over four days. To be honest, I was very intimidated at the thought of going to this class and I know I would not have gone on my own. My husband went with me, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. 

I love getting to work with my husband and helping women overcome their fears when it comes to self-defense. Using a firearm doesn’t have to be scary. It is thrilling to see our students complete their training with confidence and excitement knowing how uncomfortable and at times scared they were in the beginning. It is very rewarding to see how much they have grown and become completely comfortable knowing how to use their firearm in a self-defense situation or just at the range practicing. 

I began studying the Martial Arts in 2004, with Jerry Smith at Self Defense Systems (SDS) and Indy Boxing South. I currently hold the rank of Black Belt as well as an Instructor’s Certification from SDS.  When I started Martial Arts training, I was six months pregnant with our fourth child and was more than a little apprehensive at the thought of walking into a sweaty gym full of “Tuff Guys”. The gym was a working gym and there were indeed a lot of tough men and a few tough women present. However, Jerry Smith and his students were kind, encouraging and made me and my family part of their community. We want that environment to be part of the foundation of Ballance Defense, Inc. We continue the work of edification, encouragement and community building.