USYRU was required to add the admin functions to comply with the Amateur Sports Act. It's ironic really... The "I haven't seen a gift I did not take from a good ol boy aka Senator Ted Stevens" wrote a law that was put into place to stop a lot of the BS and gifting in team selection etc etc. It attempted to take the good ol boy network out of sport and settle it on the playing field. USYRU took the new name and responsibility to comply. It's just taken 25 years to get in full compliance.
Then you had mission creep. Yes, they wrote the standards for training certification, developed training programs etc etc. They did not say we want to open sailing schools nor do they plan to. Moreover, they bigfooted a competing certification program out of existence... The Red Cross was a small certification program and it used to certify sailing teachers in my area ... oops my certificate is not valid anymore in the US Sailing era. My point is that the mission creep was a bit of a land grab... not a move to fill a vital service. Still, I am OK with the nationalizing of training of instructors, RC and judges mission. I just want them to re focus on service to the rank and file racing sailor who pays their dues. Since none of my dues goes to Olympic... Just don't screw it up or misrepresent the 6 ring mess to us. I certainly don't want any more focus on learn to sail...
The builders and marine industry need to promote the pastime of sailing... not US Sailing.
Yacht clubs, Hobie fleets, Catamaran clubs are the front lines of converting a pleasure sailor into a racer.
Back in the day... did your hobie fleet have learn to sail programs.... I don't remember hearing of any. The Hobie 101 program is a fairly new program pioneered in the North West.
I don't disagree that we need more sailors before you get more racing sailors... It's an issue of should my dues pay for it.... No! I want Jobson to focus on improving the game for the rank and file racing sailor. Just put the Olympic side show in a box and set it aside.
