Lessons from Another Sport about the Elite

I came to soaring through a club that had no cross-country culture. There was one instructor with a Silver Badge and to me he was a god. I'd been flying for years before ever meeting a competition pilot much less flying with one. Due to increased communication via the web the days of isolated back water gliding clubs are coming to an end. But it's still relevant to note that part of the psychological barrier of elitism stems from the simple fact that the majority of CFIGs in the US are not competition pilots or even cross-country pilots. So, many student glider pilots have a barrier in knowledge and experience not to mention social connections to the world of soaring competition. Fortunately that seems to be changing rapidly. I'm so glad and maybe a little jealous that most of my up and coming gliding pals never had to feel the mostly self imposed sense of inferiority that I had to go through.