Soaring Society of America

SSA Junior Development

Support for Contest, Camps, and Grants

Support for SSA Junior pilots started through the Collegiate Soaring Association by raising funds to send a Junior Team to the European Junior Gliding Championships.  Those championships evolved into the Junior World Gliding Champions.  About that time, the Mozer Trust was created endow the US Junior Champion and to fund the US Junior Champion’s participation in the junior world championships and the US Junior Soaring Team became part of the US Soaring Team.

In 2012, the US Contest Committee elected to support junior participation in US regional and national contests through a rebate of the majority of contest entry fees for junior pilots participating in qualifying contests.  Funds came from excess sanction fees collected in prior years.  Such fees have been used to support contest supplies and logistics and may not be considered a permanent source of Junior funding.

In 2016, the inaugural Junior Contest/Cross Country camp was launched as a proof of concept.  This was followed by a combined Region 3/Junior Camp/Contest in 2017, which demonstrated the success of the concept.  The 2018 Junior Contest/Camp will be held in conjunction with a Region 6 contest.

The British Gliding Association has a robust Junior program, but they have pointed out that it took five years of diligent effort and coaching to arrive where they are today.  SSA volunteers have taken the first steps at developing a robust Junior program.

Presently it consists creating opportunities for Junior Soaring Pilots through

  • Contests
  • Cross country camps
  • Grants

Contests and cross country camps have been combined events with some two-seater gliders flown by experienced commercial pilots/CFI-G’s providing mentoring flights.  4.5% of SSA members are on the pilot ranking list, it is hoped that some of the attendees will become future competition pilots and that others will gain confidence to continue in soaring as a lifetime activity, perhaps as CFI-G’s, tow pilots, or in other roles.  Grants are intended to send promising pilots to CFI-G clinics or to reimburse the cost of their successful CGI-G check rides.  Clubs and chapters tell the SSA that lack of instructors remains a barrier to growth.

Please consider supporting SSA Junior Development through a one-time or sustaining gift to SSA Junior Development.