ORIGINAL: danamania
(2) make the first sequence encountered less intimidating and easier to get one's head around. Rather than dumbing down anything, think of it as redistributing the difficulty between the two classes and getting better utility out of the Intermediate class. When considering this proposition, I invite all to seriously consider just how challenging it is to complete two identical loops back-to-back. This is simple on paper but requires great skill and experience to accomplish when correcting for wind. Why not one loop for the entry-level sequence?
My thought on this: I was told not to hurry out of Sportsman. It is good advice, but of course as most of us, I was eager to jump into Intermediate. Anyway, I agree that 2 concentric loops is difficult at first, especially with wind corrections. But that is the point, to allow room for improvement. We should encourage starting pilots to fly the 2 loops, try to make them the same size, and to make them on center. When starting out they should not be able to win their class, nor be expected to score on every maneuver in every sequence. It is supposed to be a challenge with room to grow.
By the end of a year, you can make it through the sequence and score fairly well. Next year, you work on wind corrections, better throttle management, etc.
I really don't think the difficulty of the sequence is hurting participation, at least not greatly. Maybe one's perception of the difficulty, but with a good caller or mentor and a little encouragement I think that goes away.
Intermediate is a decent step up from Sportsman. I was told by my new district that I was ready, so I started practicing the sequence. I was flying the moves in Sportsman OK, but it did take some practice to make it through Intermediate without zeros, and I still got a zero or two at my first contest (have flown 2 now at intermediate). Intermediate there is no 'out of the box' so it feels a lot longer. 2 consecutive rolls on center seems a lot harder than 2 loops on center. Rolling verticals are new and show you how important it is to enter straight and level.
I think the Sportsman sequence is really put together well - it really prepares you to be able to understand all the basics and start linking them together. As with anything it is important to have a solid foundation to build your interests/skills/hobbies/job, whatever it is.
The goal of a new pilot should be to try to make it through without any zeros. It should not be expected at his first contest, if he does it, great! Pattern is about watching your scores improve. A few zeros at first contest, maybe one or two at the next, then none, then all of a sudden you've won a round, and are now thinking about winning the contest. It happens relatively quick.