MINNEAPOLIS — The Recreational Boating Leadership Council is asking for the marine industry’s help in developing a searchable national database of Youth Boating & Fishing Programs housed on the Discover Boating website at www.discoverboating.com/youth.
“The data suggests that adults are much more likely to become avid boaters if they participated in boating as a child,” explains RBLC Youth Committee Co-Chairperson George Harris. “One way we can spur an increase in the number of children who experience boating is to raise the public’s awareness of the programs that are already in place. This is a first step toward that goal.”
All stakeholders within the recreational boating community are encouraged to share information about programs that offer kids fishing and boating opportunities, from an annual fishing tournament to a summer camp boating program or wakeboarding club.
Contributing to this industry effort only takes a moment or two using the quick and easy online form available at: www.discoverboating.com/youth/dataentry. This form collects information to help the public find a program in their area. As an alternative, stakeholders can email information about programs to george@nmta.net.
Being housed on DiscoverBoating.com, which reaches more than 2 million unique visitors per year, puts the youth database on center stage. What’s more, Discover Boating will promote the new database through its social media and public relations channels, including its Facebook with more than 690,000 fans, Twitter with more than 20,000 followers, and the inclusion within a mom blogger campaign launching this summer.
Youth is one of the priority action items identified by the Recreational Boating Leadership Council, a steering committee developed to oversee and coordinate the efforts coming out of the Industry Growth Summit. The Youth Committee is co-chaired by George Harris, Northwest Marine Trade Association, and Keith Christopher, Boy Scouts of America. Its members include Lewis Webb, National Marine Manufacturers Association; Stu Gilfillen, US Sailing; Ken Alvey, Lake Erie Marine Trades Association; Liz Walz, Marine Retailers Association of the Americas; Jonathan Burns, Yamaha Motor Corp.; Jack Gierhart, U.S. Sailing; Melissa Danko, Marine Trades Association of New Jersey; Randy Short, Almar Marinas; and Amy Collins, Boating Industry magazine.
About the Recreational Boating Leadership Council
The Recreational Boating Leadership Council is a group of leaders from across all segments of the marine industry working together to address growth challenges facing the marine industry. To achieve long-term growth, the council is focused on six priority action areas: attracting younger and more diverse participants to boating, supporting industry marketing efforts, creating stronger boating advocacy, exploring issues related to the affordability of boating and creating opportunities for growing boating through educational and outreach. For more information, visit www.rblc.org.