[CQ-Contest] Why Are European Contesters Younger?

[Jimk8mr at aol.com]

A speculation:
 
Amateur radio, contesting included, provides an opportunity for practicing  
a very valuable skill for young people in much of the world: interaction 
with  native speakers of the English language. 
 
A skill not of much value in America.
 
 
73  -  Jim     K8MR
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 8/22/2009 7:09:37 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
n4zr at contesting.com writes:

In  trolling through web sites recently, I have come away with one 
dominant  impression - non-US contesters, and particularly those in 
Europe, are on  average much younger than their US counterparts.

The question is  "why?"  All speculations  welcome.