To any of the guys that make boards....

[kirtap]

Its that time of year for Juniors where high schools start to push them to look at colleges and possible majors. They want us to start thinking about what we want to do with our lives and careers, etc. It just got me thinking, how did people like Bruce or Sean, or anyone who makes boards, get into it? Did you go to school with the idea that you wanted to make snowboards or did you just happen to fall into it? Did you major in some type of engineering? Obviously for any alpiner, to make boards for a living would be a dream job, atleast for me it would. So, how'd youi get into it?

[Dr D]

I am good friends with john mcginnis of identity and now garage snowboards. I know he started out working in a retail store and being a rider. he is an engineering type who kept detailed notes on all the 900 and some odd boards he rode for Transworld. The best angles and geometry and some independant thinking from his experience has become his starting point. the rest is probably the hard part. The business skills to line up backers and money etc. and the technical parts of manufacturing. I think if you were looking at it from your side I would get into the manufacturing engineering side of it at least for a degree. It would give you credibility as far as getting backers for your own company. If you just want to build boards start calling and writng letters to the small custom shops any that are growing will be needing motivated people.

[Donek]

I built my first snowboard when I was in high school. I had a strong aptitude for math and science and was encouraged to go to engineering school. When I started my schooling I wanted to design rocket motors for NASA (pyrotecnics was another hobby) or design and build snowboards. I was awefull at thermodynamics, so it bacame a pretty easy choice.

I spent a lot of time in College in my parents basement making boards for myself and a couple friends. Most of the papers I wrote or projects I did while in College were geared towards snowboard design. I can remember looking at friends in class saying "this is the coolest stuff I've ever seen" and being looked at like I was crazy. Having an objective in mind when you are studying definitely helps you learn the appropriate subjects better.

I recently returned to CU and visited with my academic advisor. He told me that I was the only student he had taught that was doing what I said I wanted to do the day I walked into his office. The point is, that it's very rare to set out to study a subject for a specific reason and end up where you set out to end up.

I'd tell you do what you are good at and what you enjoy. If making snowboards is something that just sounds like a cool job, it doesn't mean you will like it. If you enjoy creating things, figuring out how things work, and have strong hands on skills, building snowboards may be what you should do. The most important advice I got in High School was to do what I loved to do. It's hard to figure out if you love something if you've never done it, so keep an open mind and follow your passion.