This virtually gaurantees that only really dedicated people will
take up the sport.

Agreed and that's why I have always said the SSA should have a systematic
and broad public awareness program, soaring does not appeal to the most
common demographics and should expect a low response let alone enrollment
rate. This applies within people 'who are already pilots' (like satisfied
mrw) but also in the much larger general population, who have the powerful
added incentive of learning to fly in the first place, hence I have always
also said the SSA should not JUST go after power pilots.