People should do this. Paul especially would provide incredible value. If I were an ambitious team captain, I would even be tempted to create a new team from the people that attended the class, as at least those have shown a desire to learn and the ability to free up time and cash to improve their performance. Those are the types you want on your team after all...
No offence to the people that struggle to afford to play - it IS expensive - but in the UK, where team support is thin, a successful team should be comprised of individuals that do have the resources to practice and play, otherwise the project is doomed to failure. Of course, it would be nice to assemble the team with the most talent, irregardless of whether they could afford to play, but this just isn't practical. Perhaps it's better to take people with the time and cash to play, and then practice, practice, practice.