I think gliding is in terminal decline unless it can transform the way it treats new entrants. The graft all day, bit of flying if you're lucky mentality just won't wash with most. I have tried getting into gliding a number of times, at a number of clubs and always walked away in despair. As a powered pilot and experienced motor glider instructor the negative and often downright rude attitude I experienced from a lot of the folk because I had other experience was dreadful.
At two clubs I asked to train up and fly the motor glider, didn't have time to do actual gliding. I was told in no uncertain terms I had to learn winch driving and retrieving first before they would even consider letting me near the motor glider! This being the motorglider that spent all weekend sat around not earning money until some high up instructor deigned to take some lucky type for a flight in it. I went along with it for a few weekends until I realised me and other new types were spending all day doing the graft while established members rocked up, rigged their soaring machines then disappeared off all day - how does that work then!