A firearms instructor plays a pivotal role in the world of responsible gun ownership, and their importance cannot be overstated. Whether you’re a novice handling a firearm for the first time or an experienced shooter looking to enhance your skills, firearms instructors play an essential role in your marksmanship education and training.
Meet CGC’s Firearms Instructors
Centennial Gun Club is proud to boast a team of highly skilled and experienced firearms instructors who are second to none in their dedication to safety, expertise, and commitment to helping individuals develop their firearm proficiency. Our firearms instructors are the heart and soul of our training programs, offering a comprehensive and unparalleled learning experience for all skill levels.
Joe Cummings
Director of Training
Joe is a seasoned professional with a lifelong passion for shooting and hunting. With over 38 years in law enforcement, including a decade on a multi-jurisdictional SWAT team, Joe’s expertise spans various roles such as crisis negotiator, entry team member, less-lethal operator, SWAT firearms instructor, and sniper team leader.
As a Master Firearms Instructor, NRA Training Counselor, and Colorado POST full-skills instructor with 25+ years of training experience, Joe holds a comprehensive range of instructor credentials in pistol, rifle, shotgun, select-fire, less-lethal, RDS sight systems, designated marksman, and sniper disciplines. His armorer certificates from renowned brands such as Colt, Mossberg, Daniel Defense, Smith & Wesson, and Glock showcase his commitment to excellence and versatility. He has also served as an expert witness in the court of law.
In 2023, Joe retired as a uniformed patrol supervisor, mounted police supervisor, and internationally accredited mounted police instructor. Throughout his career, he played a pivotal role as one of the agency’s lead firearms instructors, overseeing the care and maintenance of training while also developing lessons and supervising other police instructors.
Joining Centennial Gun Club in March 2023, Joe assumed the Director of Training role in June. He brings his wealth of experience to the forefront, serving as a live-fire shoot house instructor and shooting simulator trainer. Joe remains actively engaged in teaching firearms and tactics at police academies, staying abreast of current trends through continuous attendance at outside training events. Recognized as an NRA triple distinguished expert, Joe is dedicated to delivering the most current and relevant training to his students.
Keith Fern
Lead Instructor
Keith was born outside of Cleveland Ohio and after high school he joined the United States Marine Corps. While in the Marines, he was consistently rated an Expert Marksman and was meritoriously promoted for his shooting ability. He has a degree in psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and is an NRA Certified Rifle and Pistol Instructor as well as a Chief Range Safety Officer. Keith spent many years as a whitewater raft guide and snowmobile guide and was an instructor for both disciplines. He has been involved with shooting since he was about 7 years old, has held a Colorado Concealed Handgun Permit since 2007, and has trained with World Champion shooters such as J.J. Racaza and Mike Seeklander. His roles at Centennial Gun Club have included Range Safety Officer, Assistant Range Manager, and he currently serves as Lead Instructor and Trainer. Keith enjoys sharing his knowledge with students and enabling them to be safe and effective shooters.
Darin Smith
Instructor
Darin is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, Amateur Trapshooting Association, United States Practical Shooting Association, and the Single Action Shooting Society. He is a National Rifle Association Range Safety Officer, Pistol and Rifle Instructor, and holds a Range Officer certification from the National Range Officers Institute with a Steel Challenge endorsement through the United States Practical Shooting Association. Darin is also a Range Officer Level I and Level II for the Single Action Shooting Society. He holds a Head Coach endorsement for the Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Action Shooting Program under the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation.
In 2018 Darin was the founding head coach for the first Scholastic Clay Target Program public school team in Colorado through the Haxtun Gun Club. Continuing on the theme of youth shooting sports, Darin has the Coach Leadership And Safety Support Certification for the USA High School Clay Target League. In Colorado 4-H Shooting Sports, Darin is a Level I instructor for Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Archery, and is a Level II Instructor for Western Heritage. A Level II Instructor has completed a 40 hour National training in their discipline to be able to instruct Level I county volunteers in their state who will then lead local 4-H members in the shooting sports program.
While his primary enjoyment in shooting sports comes from introducing others to shooting sports, Darin has found some success in competitions. He is a two-time State Champion in his division in Cowboy Action Shooting and has won a State Championship in his USPSA division.
Austin Lewis
Instructor
Austin Lewis was born and raised in Colorado. From a young age camping, fishing, shooting, and hunting were common weekend activities. Austin attended the University of Colorado at Boulder where he played Rugby and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Austin has held his Colorado Concealed Handgun permit for over 8 years and continually trains to be proficient in all firearm platforms. Austin has been associated with Centennial Gun Club since the summer of 2021 when he took over as the Range Manager. Austin has taken classes from JJ Racaza, Mike Seeklander and enjoys USPSA shooting competitions. Before Centennial Gun Club, Austin spent the last 9 years in the transportation industry as a Dispatcher and Safety/Compliance Manager. “I enjoy sharing my passion for shooting sports, hunting and helping people of all experience levels learn and advance in their shooting journey.” Austin is an NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, and is a Pistol & Rifle certified instructor.
Julie Godfrey
Instructor
Julie began her firearm shooting journey in 2014 after a tragic event led her to the realization that she needed to take responsibility for her own self-defense. As long-time members of Centennial Gun Club, she asked her husband to teach her to shoot. When it became evident that her shooting skills had progressed, Julie traveled with her husband to train with other instructors. She has had the fortunate opportunity to train with many of the world’s best, such as, Rob Leatham, JJ Raccaza, Mike Seeklander, Steve Tarani, Larry Vickers, Ken Hackathorn, and is a Gunsite Academy graduate. She has been to Gunsite over 15 times and has achieved her most proud moment of receiving her E-ticket (Expert) rating in Pistol 350.
Often times, Julie found herself to be the only female in these classes shooting alongside SWAT, LE, and Border Patrol members. This was a light-bulb moment for her, and that’s when she decided to become an NRA Pistol Instructor and instructs the women’s only courses at Centennial Gun Club. She is a volunteer at Ladies Night, a USPSA and IDPA competitive shooter, and the Chapter Leader and Instructor for the Armed Women of America Centennial chapter hosted by Centennial Gun Club.
John Arnold
Instructor
John has been associated with Centennial Gun Club for the past 10 years. As a member of the club, John completed Concealed Handgun Permit training Level I and II. John’s work at the club the past 4 years has included roles as range safety officer, assistant range manager and lead firearm instructor in both pistol and the AR- rifle platform.
John’s advanced pistol and rifle training includes several hours with national shooting champions Mike Seeklander and JJ Racaza as well as certification in protective tactics, self – defense and active shooter response through the Able Shepard program. “I really enjoy working with new shooters and helping them establish a solid foundation of safety and shooting fundamentals, as well as more experienced shooters who want to fine tune their shooting skill set.” Prior to joining Centennial Gun Club, John spent 25 years in the software industry in project management, consulting and training roles. John holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Training Specialist Certification from Colorado State University and is an NRA certified pistol instructor.
David McArdle
Instructor – Lifesaver 101
Dr. McArdle is a board-certified emergency medical physician who currently works as a Medical Officer supervising paramedics providing diplomatic security abroad for the State Department. He is a Colorado POST certified Peace office with many years’ experience as a reserve officer with a major metropolitan police department. He is the immediate past Chair of the Police Physician Section of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
He grew up in the fire/EMS system with over 50 years’ experience in pre-hospital medicine. He is an American Heart Association BLS and ACLS instructor as well as an Advanced Trauma Life Support Instructor with the American College of Surgeons.
The Life Saver 101 class is a shortened civilian version of a program he had originally put together for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center on officer rescue practices.
