Reverse komi is a equally acceptable system - I asked a few pros their opinion of this at Go Congress this year in Ohio - but I prefer the use of handicap stones as both black and white. We also use H stones in simul teaching games and have done so historically for a very long time.
As B, I don’t harbor the misconception that I am going to massively outplay my opponent in the opening. Instead, I need to focus on being flexible and on using my stones correctly. The existence of those stones serves to limit options for my opponent and apply a subtle pressure throughout the game. If we cannot handle the situations that come up in the middle and end games in a handicap match, the damage is often too great. It doesn’t feel encouraging to lose two groups but still be winning. Lastly, seeing my tangible progress against a stronger player (finally going from 3H to 2H) is more motivating than me getting 10 less extra points the next time around.
As W, I need a competitive incentive to play my best and not just sit around waiting for some large middle game blunder. The existence of several black stones on the board when it starts serves to make the game more active and to encourage me never to play slack moves. And I feel that B should also be encouraged knowing that W is not comfortable right from the beginning. Everyone talks about “trick plays” but really, in go, there are just good moves and bad moves, and we all need to be able to respond to them accordingly. I don’t believe W has some overwhelming ability to trick B in a handicap game that he or should wouldn’t be able to also do in an even game. W can also play poorly in a handicap game and B should pay attention and take advantage of it.
I like the system of proper H for both casual games and tournament games. I’m not sure when and why we started using H-1 for tournaments.
When all is said and done, though, I will still play if we use reverse komi over handicap. Both systems are doable and go is go. I don’t feel the game changes that much as a result of the skill adjustment system being used.
I feel that the most important thing as a club organizer is setting a precedent for everyone on how many points each rank difference is worth and to record the game results so that the competitive nature of Go remains strong at the club.