Mother, Wife, Competitor, Coach, Patriot, Louisianian, and Cadre Team Member—those words describe Blayr Drumm. But they don’t tell the whole story. When you ask Blayr about her favorite activity, it’s quite simple: “I work out and shoot guns.” Not everyone can claim this, but she can. Sounds like an ideal life, right? Not if you count the hard work and sacrifices to be a top competitor.
A native of Louisiana, Blayr regularly competes in the Tactical Games, which combine physical fitness, marksmanship, and military tactics. She also often participates in CrossFit competitions at the local and regional levels. She is passionate about coaching and committed to fitness and marksmanship. But she really aims to inspire women to be strong and independent.
Fitness, It’s a Lifestyle
Blayr wasn’t much of an athlete growing up. It wasn’t something she dedicated her life to. In college at Louisiana State University, while earning degrees in Psychology and Nutrition, athletics and fitness weren’t priorities. There were too many distractions. But, like many millennials, once they reached their mid-20s, things began to change. Foods that once didn’t bother her now caused issues.
The same went for fitness. Her then-boyfriend, and now husband of 10 years, Nathan Drumm, was already a CrossFitter. She watched from afar, thinking it was ridiculous. Eventually, she realized she needed to find an alternative path and change her lifestyle.
CrossFit was hard, but she liked the challenge. She could train for a goal. She found she craved a competitive outlet, something that she could dive headfirst into. It’s what people with addictive personalities do.
CrossFit with Guns
Although Blayr was new to CrossFit, her husband had been involved for quite some time. CrossFit, like many sports, requires full dedication to succeed. Burnout is common, and that’s where Nathan was—burned out.
One day in 2019, he Googled CrossFit and shooting. He was a former Marine and enjoyed firearms, so he wanted to get back into it at some level. During that search, he discovered a new and emerging competition called Tactical Games. Little did he know that this search would perfectly describe Blayr’s new obsession.
Nathan competed in the second-ever Tactical Games event in 2019. For that match, Blayr watched while Nathan competed. But she was hooked from that moment. Her first competition was at the end of 2019 in Florida. She wasn’t experienced with firearms, and outside of hunting, this was a whole new arena. But she just dove in with only a few months of firearms training. She had the physical skill down. Now she needed to learn how to shoot and move.
Since that first match, Blayr has shifted her focus to Tactical Games. While she still participates in one or two regional CrossFit events each year, her primary emphasis is now on the Tactical Games. However, her desire to win is no longer her main motivation—now, it is her 6-month-old daughter.
A Mother and Competitor
Having a child shifts your entire perspective. Parenthood quickly reveals how protective you once were of your own time. For Blayr and Nathan, it meant a major schedule overhaul—more planning and greater discipline with nutrition and training. It was easy now to come up with excuses to skip the gym. But you must refuse to listen to them.
Blayr learned to steal small pockets of time throughout the day and to lean on their community. They recently put that to the test in a team competition. It was a delicate balance: everyone has a role, and each person does their part.
In the end, they earned first place by letting go of how they thought it should unfold and embracing how it actually did. Their community rallied around them. Someone held the baby so each could run a stage. While Nathan reloaded magazines and adjusted dope on the optics, Blayr fed the baby and changed diapers. It’s not easy, and this lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but it is what Blayr chose, and what she is dedicated to.
“As Iron Sharpens Iron, So One Person Sharpens Another”
The Tactical Games, when competed at a high level, aren’t for the faint of heart. It requires grit, discipline, dedication, and above all, the will to keep going—to push for one more rep even when it would be easier to quit.
For Blayr, it’s about proving that she’s stronger than she thinks she is, and her “why” is her daughter. She wants her to see that hard work pays off.
Proverbs 27:17 reflects the legacy she hopes to leave—one that sharpens and uplifts other athletes and other women. She found her faith beyond the walls of the church, living it out through the fruits of the Spirit and using her gifts for God’s glory. It is a blessing for her to be able to do this as work. And it’s an even greater blessing to have her daughter grow up watching her mom do what is possible. Because well-behaved women seldom make history.
Fun Facts About Blayr Drumm
The Basics: married to Nathan Drumm for 10 years, and a mother of a 6-month-old.
Education: BA in Psychology and Nutrition from Louisiana State University
Day Job: Nutritionist and Personal Trainer. In-person and online coaching
Competitions: Tactical Games and CrossFit Games
Division: Women’s elite for both.
Sponsorships: Safariland CADRE Member, Kimber MFG, and SupVel Ammunition
Favorite Sports Teams? The LSU Tigers and the New Orleans Saints
Favorite Movie? The Big Lebowski
Favorite TV Show? New Girl, Gilmore Girls, and Fallout
Favorite Book? Winning by Tom Grover
Death Row, What’s Your Last Meal? PIZZA!
Favorite Firearm in Your Collection? Kimber 2K11
What Are The Words You Live By? Discipline, Tenacity, and Humility.
Ten Years From Now, What Does That Look Like? “There is a timeline for this sport at the elite level—the question is how to maximize it. For me, it’s about focusing on health and longevity, not just now but in the future, when you want to compete at the highest level. In ten years, I’ll still be competing because I enjoy and love it. Perspective shifts.”
What Does It Mean To Be A CADRE Team Member? “To demonstrate how we use Safariland products in the field, I use the 6000 series holster for competition and Liberator hearing protection during training and competitions. The goal is to showcase discipline and expertise in the field.”
For more epic articles, head over to the CADRE Dispatch.
