How to recruit new canoe paddlers?

lowangle al said:

There's always warm, sunny, uncrowded white sand beaches you could offer for next winter. After she commits let her know you'll be going to Cape Sable in the Everglades. Don't mention the mosquitos, noseeums, raccoons or American crocodiles. We've had our hardships down there, but my wife kept going back.

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The giant toothy lizards are a problem. She's already seen them up close. Perhaps with a big enough boat.....

I was thinking about this thread while using the erg this morning. Every single person that has come into the gym while I have it set up wants to know what it is and what I am training for. Some of the younger (20's) members always seem to steer the conversation towards the competitive side. Even talking about tripping, it's "How far do you go?", "How fast can you travel?", etc.

It struck me that today's outdoor youth culture is almost entirely competition-based. Outdoor recreation isn't really something that they do. It's all about sports competition. Football, baseball, track and field, etc. If they are outside in a group of peers, it's a competition. Which is how young men have been since the dawn of time, but now almost everyone has access to formally established leagues with narrowly defined age and skill brackets.

While somewhat antithetical to many of the things I enjoy about this hobby, the path to youth recruitment may very well lie in pushing the athletic aspect of the sport. You like dancing? Here's a freestyle clinic. You like distance events? Here's a canoe marathon. Intense training more your style? Check out how ripped these sprint paddlers are.

Getting the youth involved in athletic divisions within watersports will lead to recreational recruitment later, through them and their progeny.

Just a rambling thought while I tried not stroke out during my session.