Grass Roots Sailing ILCA Support

Rob B

Well-Known Member
I consider much of this group as "Grass Roots" ILCA sailors. Quick question.

1- What kind of support would you like to see from the ILCA class?
 
I am a grass roots sailor. I believe the ILCA class support is fine - nothing else required.

As a grass roots sailor, I can tell you the biggest impediment to developing our sport is stupid old white men arguing needlessly. In their desperation for attention, they fail to stop and consider how many ex sailors can no longer be bothered putting up with them, and instead choose to utilize their limited free time on something more productive. It's a shame they can't see past their own nose and realise they are damaging the very thing that they claim the ILCA class is ignoring. Fortunately there are many men and women, old and young, from across the world who pour generous amounts of effort and experience into grass root sports development. What a shame they are drowned out by the lunatic fringe.
 
The class should support regional regattas, district GP regattas, and all the "Flyover Districts" who have no active District Secretary.
 
The class should support regional regattas, district GP regattas, and all the "Flyover Districts" who have no active District Secretary.

This is good feedback.

How- would you recommend a non-represented "fly over" district be supported by the class?

What would you like to see for GP or regional event support?
 
This is good feedback.

How- would you recommend a non-represented "fly over" district be supported by the class?

What would you like to see for GP or regional event support?
If the class secretary would reach out to them, every once in a while, do some research and publish their findings (more than an email that goes to spam), or at least keep a record of what is actually going on in the area and follow up, that may help.

Seed money for the regional regattas (no coast champs) for starters. I’m sure there are other “services” that could help, I recall the class providing marks for the 1993 nationals, things like that.

Small districts receive zero support from the class and have since about the year 2000.
 
ILCA should clone District Class secretaries like Rob...
They are so very important to grass roots sailing. Fortunately, my District 11 has had wonderful leaders as well (thanks Jon and Scott for your dedication to the 'grass roots' crowd).
 
1. Come to think of it, it would be nice (and good advertising for the class) to make 'interesting' T-shirts, stickers etc. available (as in the good old days; Gouvernail would approve, I am sure). (Almost) free would be even nicer, of course.

To hell with the nursing home; die on your ILCA!

2. How about making The Laser Sailor available (on the web) to grass roots sailor who are not current ILCA members, or maybe a sample issue once in a while to keep them engaged.
 
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Ooh! Great ideas Wavedancer! What a way to grow the US ILCA, with a free membership tier! In the past I have had the thought that the only benefit of class membership (for me personally) was the publication. I thought of it as a quarterly magazine subscription.
 
If the class secretary would reach out to them, every once in a while, do some research and publish their findings (more than an email that goes to spam), or at least keep a record of what is actually going on in the area and follow up, that may help.

Seed money for the regional regattas (no coast champs) for starters. I’m sure there are other “services” that could help, I recall the class providing marks for the 1993 nationals, things like that.

Small districts receive zero support from the class and have since about the year 2000.

With no area secretary the class secretary would need to reach out to class members of that district. Maybe a, "Hey is there anything we can help your district with to help you get some activity going?" kinda call?

I feel like the class supports us pretty well, but we do have to ask for it. They help us cover our SAYRA association dues, and our EOY District trophy's. They reimburse our annual mailer costs as well.

We've made our own travel banner and we did D12 t-shirts on our own a couple of years ago. They sold well for about $30 ea.

We had a weekend training seminar at $150 per head that sold out within the first 2 weeks of making the announcement, (2 months in advance). I have not tired the class office for help on things like that, but you might be siurprised
 
Isn't up to the NALA to support their districts and not the ILCA when it comes to regattas etc.
 
We need to think about what the ILCA is.

It's the overall body for the Laser Class. It overseas the production of the boats, controls the role out of developments in the class, sets a framework for the district association, runs world championships, liaises with other sporting bodies including World Sailing and the IOC. In doing these activities, it develops / promotes the class and attempts to control the one design status of the class.

The districts vary considerably, in most cases a district is a single nation, with numbers vary from a handful of boats (Cook Island less to 10 boats) to huge numbers like the UK & Germany with 1000's. You then have a Australia which consists of seven association each representing a single state of Australia (some of these districts are small and large with numbers fluctuating in the small districts based upon the rotation of National Championships between each district. Finally the districts in North America, consisting of individual states & provinces, amalgamation of states & provinces, parts of states & provinces, across two separate counties. The districts across the world are very different in there size and what they do. The Western Australia district covers an area half the size of Western Europe and operates out of clubs across the state. You have small country districts that operate out of one club. The ILCA can't realistically to be involved at the district level beyond setting up a frame work for that district to exist, at least not with what we financially contribute to the ILCA.

Personally, I think the ILCA does a good job, I might not agree with everything they do or how it's run, but that could be said of any organisation, be it a government, business or a sporting body.

If individual districts in North America are struggling, it's really something for the North American Laser Association to sort out.
 
I did start this thread regarding NA-ILCA. Just a fishing trip. BTW- the NA-ILCA has recently added a co-secretary for the NA secretary. He's the D11 secretary and has been reaching out to Districts. He's been very responsive. I don't think any class can depend on their organizing body to swoop into an unorganized/non-existing district and get organized class sailing going. However, I do think local fleet captains in districts without secretaries can lead organization efforts at their local YC level and leverage support from the NA level secretary or co-secretary for ideas, direction and other support. While I don't know if there is a limited "extent" the NA office for support you never know until you contact them.
 

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