Slalom waterskiing is a lot like the first time you rode your bike without the training wheels except you're being pulled around behind a boat while standing on a slender piece of fiberglass.

Obvious differences aside, similar feelings of apprehension and anxiety materialize when you make the transition from combo skis to a slalom ski. And just like learning to ride a bike without assistance, slalom skiing may seem daunting at times, but feeling the rush of adrenaline from the incredible speed, cutting razor-sharp turns and becoming king-of-the-wake makes it all worth it.

Before you rush out and teach your kids to slalom the way your well-meaning parents taught you – you know, the duct tape and dragging through water method – consider what the top under-21 men's slalom skier in the world, Jonathan Travers, has to say on the subject.

Here are his step-by-step pointers, which he and his father, Jack, share with students at Sunset Lakes Ski School, (800) 732-2755, www.jacktravers.com, in Groveland, Florida.

1.First, figure out which foot goes forward when skiing with one ski. There are several ways to determine this. If you were playing hopscotch, which foot would you use? That should be your forward foot. Or when you're standing, the foot that you first take a step with is your forward foot in slalom.

2. Next comes practicing the shift to one ski. While skiing on a pair of combo skis, get into a comfortable stance and then slowly pick up the ski you'll be dropping while transferring weight to the other ski and sliding it to the middle of your hips. If you get wobbly, put the "drop" ski back down.

3. Once you can go the length of the lake on just one ski using the above technique, you're ready to try the real thing. At this point, you should stop and loosen the heel of the drop ski so that it's easier to slide your foot out when the time comes, but not so much that it falls off during your start.

4. Begin with a normal deepwater start, and then make your way to the outside of the wake on the side opposite your forward foot (e.g., a left-foot-forward skier would move outside the right side of the wake; a right-foot-forward skier would move outside the left side). The driver should be pulling at a comfortable 21 to 25 mph.

5. Establish a good standing position: back and arms straight, hips forward, shoulders back, forward knee bent slightly more than the back knee. Then shift your weight to your forward foot just like before. Keep your drop ski on for the time being and use it as a balance keeper.

6. When you're steady and feeling confident, slowly and carefully lift your back foot out of the drop ski. Slipping your heel up can help release your foot from the binding. Never drop a ski in a heavy traffic area, and always designate someone in your boat to track the dropped ski, so you don't accidentally run over it and can find it later.

7. Drag the toes of your free foot in the water behind and to the side of your forward foot. This will help you establish your balance. Leave your toes in the water until you feel stable enough to slowly move them onto the ski.

8Place your free foot gently on top of the rear toe rubber and ride like that for a while. If you get shaky at any point, you can drag your toes again. When you feel you're ready for the final step, slowly lift your foot and slide it inside the toe rubber.

At this point, your body position should be basically the same as on two skis. Keep your back and arms straight, your knees slightly bent and try to relax. "The important thing to remember on one ski is to keep the handle low so that you can maintain equal balance on both feet," Travers said.

"You want the weight evenly distributed on the balls of your feet. If the handle is held too high, your weight goes on your back foot, which can throw you off balance and make you fall."

Just like on two skis, keep your head up and look at the horizon – don't watch your feet. Once you're comfortable on the slalom ski, try weaving side to side a little bit, then some more. When you've mastered that, it's time to try crossing the wake.

Just remember to let the boat do the work. "Don't pull your arms in and try to force yourself across the wake," Travers said. "Edge slightly toward the wake, hold your line and the boat will pull you across all by itself." Remember to keep your legs slightly bent to act like shock absorbers.

The next step is usually to try a deepwater slalom start, which can be done with either one or two feet in the boots/rubbers. In a one-foot slalom start, the rear foot starts out dragging behind the skier, acting as a rudder to help with balance.

In a two-foot slalom start, the rear foot is already in the boot/rubber, which allows the skier to use both feet to keep the ski straight. Neither method is better. It's a matter of finding the one that works for you.

As your skill level and ambitions progress, you may want to invest in a real slalom ski rather than one half of a combo set (most of which come with one ski that already has a rear toe rubber for slalom skiing). Skis made specifically for slalom waterskiing are more aggressive and stiffer – crafted to allow for faster speeds and sharper turns.

At its heart, slalom lovers do it for the feeling of pulling in at a good angle, ripping across the wake, then cutting a huge turn back and doing it again. Then trying to figure out which part of their technique they need to tweak to do it better and faster.

"With a little patience and practice, everyone can learn to slalom," Travers said. "There's nothing like the feel of gliding across the water and carving out a big wall of spray."