ORIGINAL: J Lachowski
I would like to suggest one other possibility. Leave Sportsman as a regular class in itself and introduce a new class called ''Clubman'' or ''Novice'' or whatever you might like it to be. I would make it a completely non turnaround pattern. This way any local guy could pick up any old plane with little to no practice and fly it and have fun. Make it say 10 maneuvers. We could use the last pre-turnaround Novice pattern or something pretty similar.
Me too...I like the word "Sportsman"....Nothing wrong with it at all, just like old times when I first entered Pattern. It WAS the entry class to Pattern in late 70's and 80's. It was moderately easy to fly but very hard to fly it well. It taught us all what it took to put the model exactly where you wanted at all times
Several years ago we toyed with the entry class name. The words "Rookie", "Basic", "Primer", a few others were kicked around but none made it. Personally, The IMAC guys got this one right with "Basic" being quite descriptive in their sport.
I think Joe is right in suggesting a change to make the current Sportsman non-TA and changing its name.