21 year olds are youths?

[Ken Smith]

Runner tracks is on its way, I am told.  There is a ballot proposal to redefine youths as 21 year olds.

Sorry, I don't see the point.  TO give out the trophy?  No, the point is to get youth sailors out.  WE should give a youth trophy to ALL the under 18 sailors who race.

THere is some rumblings, which have merit, about the regatta format as a week long event.  If you are young and in school, this week sailing is out.  If you are a little older and hard at work, it is very difficult.  Us old farts, over forty or over fifty or more, we WANT long regatas.  Ws can schedula and afford to attend.

Perhaps a youth regatta on the Saturday prior to the Worlds or North Americans continuing on Sunday as a seperate course of classs start??  No by-law change reqired.  Write the notice of race and run it.

A youth trophy won't get a 21 year old sailing.  A chance to race will.

Ken

[DN 805]

I support Ken's point of view.   The week long championship schedule that begins on a Sunday automatically eliminates students and young people who are newcomers in the work force.     Our championship format discourages participation, rather than promoting participation.  It is evident in the reduced number of regatta entries.

...Jane Pegel

[Geoff Sobering]

I have to admit to having no strong opinion on either the age-limit for the Jr. trophy or the schedule of the GC/NA regatta.  At some level they seem independent, only overlapping in the general sense when we consider how to increase participation in the class (among all sailors).  I'm also in Ken's "old fart" age category, with an employer who is just as likely to let me take a long-weekend vacation on a week's notice, or a weeks -vacation on long-notice - so I really don't have a horse in this race at all personally.

With the above caveat, I'll say that IMO the difference in age between 18 and 21 isn't that big these days.  It's the difference between graduating from high-school and just about to graduate from college.  For most kids in iceboating there's not a huge change in independent status between the two ages. 

Another thing to look at is other classes' definition of "junior".  For example, in the Laser class, it's 20 (http://www.ussailing.org/championships/youth/youthchamp/2007/Amended_06-12-07_YouthsNOR.pdf).

So, it seems to me that changing the definition of "Junior" to 21 isn't a big deal.  If it will encourage more "kids" to come to the "big" regattas, then I'm all for it.  Given the small number of "under 30" people sailing, I can't see how the change would be much a discouragement in any case.

Cheers,

Geoff S.
US-5156