On Monday, February 1, 2016 at 12:47:17 PM UTC-5, John Carlyle wrote:
Since "on ramp" in regard to contests is becoming a meme, I feel the need to call BS. Where's the "on ramp" to college? Where's the "on ramp" for getting a job? Where's the "on ramp" for taking flying lessons? All of these instances require self-motivation and some initiative; they don't happen unless you do something. The same is true of contest flying.

Without starting generational war, which this may very well be part of the dilemma as well, I would argue that for those under 35, there were quite a few "on ramps" to College, jobs, and in many cases flying lessons... Not to mention if our goal is to sell and build the sport, the easiest way to fail in this endeavor is to tell people is to just spend the money, figure it out, and you might like it.

I understand that this is not how society always worked, but in many regards there were a lot less events vying for members time and money (how many forms of martial arts and after-school programs existed in 1960?). This is the exact same problem that juniors face in the highschool years, and why they simply cannot afford to spend all their time sitting around the gliderport watching old men drink.