I agree that local press coverage and LWC driven organization and local recognition of state records would reach more and motivate more to participate in our sport.
This is harder to do with sports that aren't in the school system but it should be a big part of what LWC's do. Some, like Florida(I know there are others),get recognition and awareness of local performance by cooperative competitions that involve more athletes in high school. Not surprisingly, we seem to get a lot of national level athletes from that state.