Broadening the base - how to attract new athletes to sprint kayak

I'm still a young pup when it comes to the sport of sprint kayak, but this is my 3rd sport where I've been an active participant as a coach, organizer or official, and I think it gives me a little perspective from which to speak up. I write this *not* as a challenge to the sport's leadership, and most certainly not as a slam on our current athletes or coaches!  It's an open question of how do we broaden the appeal of sprint kayak, attracting athletes from outside the existing framework, and stretching to achieve success at a world and Olympic level - in addition to introducing lots of new youth to a sport that only a relative handful of people even know exists (while it goes on right under their noses).

With no further ado, the question is this:  How do we reach outside the existing (and relatively small) development base of athletes to attract a talent pool of podium potential in all disciplines?

To set the stage:  Minnesota High School Nordic Championships are (in Minnesota) a pretty big deal. Being the best skier in Minnesota means a varsity ride to one of 10 or so elite schools across the northland from Maine to Montana.  Making it to State is a qualification process, and the top 15 skiers from each of 8 sections are invited - so 120 girls and 120 boys.  Each section consists of approximately 10 schools, with most schools having 25-60 kids in their varsity, JV and club programs.  A few can be as large as 250-300 kids.  I believe the total to be around 4500 kids taking part in Nordic ski racing at a high school level in Minnesota.  Out of that, you have approximately 20 per year that go on to ski at University on some kind of a ride.  Another smaller group may race club level for college teams and quite a few will continue to race recreationally, but a large number simply vanish from the radar. (sounds familiar to paddling, yes?)

OK, so back to the pointy end of this - out of these very, very talented young athletes approximately 10 a year will race in the USSA club system (outside of high school) for their regional team at US Nationals, a couple may be selected for international development squads, etc.  The model is actually very similar to what we have in USA Canoe/Kayak.  Out of the 240 athletes who make it to State each year, one or two may rise to National team status out of every Olympic cycle.  In other words out of 7000 or so athletes that enter high school skiing in Minnesota every four years, ONE may make it to the Olympics (Jessie Diggins this year)! Jessie and Kikkan Randall won the World Championships last year in team sprint, which is the first ever WC for the US!  (In direct relation, Sarah Tokos who was arguably the 2nd best Junior kayaker in the nation last year was realistically top 30 in the State).

Just think - if we could reach out into the football, basketball, gymnastics, swimming, soccer, hockey<gasp>, and baseball communities for just a few of their athletes who are injured, too big/small, or maybe bored and need a change, we could greatly expand the pool.

So my line of thinking - how do we (as BOD, NGB, and club levels) all begin to think farther outside of the box, and longer term on how to build this sport to where we can attract the athletes necessary to put our athletes on the podium?

My personal mission this year is to go after the 'next level' athletes - recruit the kid who has been trying to play basketball all thru elementary school, but his parents are 5'2 and 5'8; to get the girl who has been doing gymnastics with parents that are 6 footers and not lightweights; or the kid who plays football but can barely see the numbers on the lineman in front of him. All with drive to excel, good athletic skills, but maybe a mismatch of sports.  Hopefully I can double my active numbers this summer, and continue to grow from there.

I learned about grass roots level recruiting in cycling during the 80s and 90s.  One of the biggest things that the NGB can provide the local clubs is contacts.  Industry/sponsor contacts, local organizational contacts, and particularly contacts and collateral that develop families and names.  Mailing lists, social media links and push marketing - targeted Facebook and Twitter campaigns would help from a National level.  We'll do the same at the local end too, working on mailing lists from cooperative local organizations to develop interest from their constituents. One of my concerns with our current club marketing is that we've approached it much like soccer was marketed to parents and kids in the 80s - everybody has a good time, nobody loses, everyone gets to play, etc.  - and I do believe in this concept, and I believe it's right for our club to continue.
But I wonder if there isn't a subset of young athletes who view this as "it's not hard enough, it's not going to get me in shape, it's just paddling", not realizing that kayak is one of the most technical sports on the planet, and if you really need a challenge, ICF canoe beckons!   And we're going to spend a lot more effort on team boats this year.  C2 and C4, K2, K4 mean more kids get engaged and get to experience going _fast_, well before they have the experience to do so in a K1.  My hope is that this will help draw in a new crew as well.  Friends marketing to friends, athletes introducing to new kids, and hopefully some of them stick to it.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome.  I'm hoping to open a dialog, not rant about the state of the sport, and not worry about national team selection, or anything above the very local level.

 ~marsh