European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                S to ii Quot n or a s a Quot Quot i i a i a a Quot Quot i top student snowboarder Michelle Williams takes a /. Tumble. Above instructor Steffen Messersmith teaches her How to stand upright on the Board. For six years i be watched snowboarders slash Dow n ski slopes thinking that skiers could easily learn this Peculiar looking sport it they really wanted  skiers though i be always found excuses riot to try. As i walked in search of my instructor w Ith a rented snowboard under my Arm i realized i was running out of excuses with each step i took.  my Small class waiting for me at the Bottom of the slope at  a ski Lodge in Carmich Germany. A Michelle Williams 13, and her brother Shannon 14,stood beside instructor Steffen Messersmith a 19-year-old Garmisch native with braces and Long Blond hair who has been skiing since he was 5. A uncertainty loves company so i was glad to find out. That Michelle also was snowboarding for the first time. She said she came for the we Klong course because it 1-looked like fun and because Quot i like dangerous  it was the second snowboarding class for Shannon l in attended the first class offered by the armed forces recreation Center the previous year and was Bat k for a refresher course. Shannon said he preferred snowboarding to skiing because it s Quot More exciting Quot and it s Quot a neat feeling when you go Down the Hill really fast and do a lot of  but for now he. Had relegated himself to the slow Pace set by his sister and me. After Messersmith showed us How to strap ourselves onto the Board we walked and slipped our Way around with one foot on the Board and one foot on the ground. Walking is a lot easier on skis. A a then we practice falling Down. I Don t know Why we Messersmith shows Williams How to get into the right position for a downhill run. Bothered we did Prenn of the real thine Tor the rest of the Dav.  but then i remembered the surgical scars on the Knees. Of a Friend who had  i etl herself Snow boat Ding Tor the first time so i paid close attention As Messersmith told unto make sure Bur boards were properly raised w Hen we Tell falling is a lot less complicated on skis a you just do it a a a a a a by v ave trudged our Way up  a step slide step slide. I wondered How much longer it would be a before we would learn How to go up the Hillside on the. Tow Rosie used by beginning skiers alter sitting Clown and strapping myself on again i realized that my Board was pointing the opposite. Direction of everyone else even though out bodies faced the same direction. I did not Shaie the same dominant front toot with the rest of my. Classmates. A a a a a it  Mick lagger of the ski rental department told me to turn around and standstill with both.leet-together.-, lie a gave me a Friendly push in the Back which h c a used my dominant right loot to Jumpt Orward. ,. The first trip Down was easy  we kept the Board sideways and slowly edged out Way to the Bottom. But then began the seemingly endless procession of bending Over removing our Bool trudging up the Hill sitting Down putting our. Boot Back in the Lioard. Michelle said it want in had lot Hei Lic it Treshc did gymnastics. I wont red it  on. Television counted Lor anything. Things Bec ame More complicated Whayn Messersmith said it was time to learn to  a snowboard is done by twisting t her upper body to the direction you want the snowboard to go. This technique i it almost the opposite method of turning your skis with the lower. Body. But thu two sports share an important denominator a  weight Forward to control your Speed. A. On my first attempt at a turn i promptly leaned my weight on the Bac k of my Board and tried to turn it with my Knees before crashing into the Mountainside. At least i made a perfect crash Landing by falling on my forearms and raising the Board As i fell. As Michelle and i struggle d with the turn Shannon was having an amazing recovery of Muse be memory from his previous Jesson and soon left us for the 1-bar and higher elevations. A Messersmith watched us full and patiently showed us Over and Over what we were doing wrong and the Correct Way to do i1. I. Finally Nufi imaged to make a prope r turn As the front of my Board smoothly turned from one Side of the Mou Faiu to the other. Unfortunately i did no to make a habit of it. After about an hour Messersmith Felt we were either. Ready to negotiate who Tow bar that would take1 us up the Hill or figured w e were just too fired to drag the Hoard Uphill-anymore.-1 think he got the hint when Michelle plopped Down an the Snow and asked for a Quot Kleine. Pause Quot the German Jil Inse Lor Short rest. Getting the feel of using the Tow bar was a bit Tricky at first  helped the lesson become at least physically easier the mental aspect was beginning  easier too hut i would still need to go Down the Hill hundreds of More times with monotonous regularity before i achieved any sort of Profic inc y. My Brief Sfat with the we Klong class was nearing its end and. Prolic Clericy would have to wait until Mother time Michelle arid Shannon continued the lessons and. By the end of the week Mic Helle said she was Able to. Keep up with her brother. I May never Swap Feiy skis for a snowboard but i will no be r underestimate my colourful it Imti a parts on flip funny looking ski again. A still skiing is a lot  or. Again. That s the worst thing. They consider themselves experts and All of a sudden they got on one of the things and they re humbled. A a a a Quot underneath Sdiey re All interested. They re All gang a Mumm that looks Good but i Don t know if it s Worth taking the Falls and learning Ali Over again. A. Regardless of a person s background in surfing or skiing Ellis says he strongly recommends taking lessons As opposed to renting a Board and going it alone.  sport and i promote too percent taking lessons Quot he says Quot learning on your own c an take longer and is More Dange Rous. An instructor can slow your a Speed and  under c Onfroy Quot experience and background Are factors when deciding whether to take private lessons or group lessors Ellis says private lessons Are Best for an athletic person  a skiing and surfing background. He1 recommends group in Usoris Tor others Las Ause they c an learn at a slower Pace and by Watt Hing others in the class. A a at the eff of the week you can feel t Oul Jenl about what you re doing Quot tills says.  Are told so Ruc h during a two hour lesson that m s easy to forget everything two Days later Quot a. A Ood beginning paves the Way Lor a belter future in a sport that seems Destine. To stay Ellis says Snow Boa Dirig is not a fad that will slowly fade away. Quot have you seen sur Fig Efi appear skating disappear or windsurfing disappear d think later on that skiing is going to disappear Quot lie ikes. February 2h, / i Stripto Smaga me