Ripe for Coaching

By Maureen Feldman
Friday night saw a bushel of berry shirts and lips storming the ballroom at the Framingham Sheraton. We were gathered to learn from a lifetime member of Sweet Adelines International. We worked tirelessly for an hour to help Betty Clipman demonstrate the way that singing fundamentals layer upon each other to improve the overall performance of a group.
So, storming might be a bit of an exaggeration. It might be more accurate to describe us as a bushel of hard working berries coming before the region for the first time since our division winning showing this past spring. Not only was this our regional debut and our first coaching session as victors, but this was our co-director Pat’s first coaching session as a director. Like the adage says, you never forget your first and this was a great first coaching session for us all.

Betty Clipman has been a member of Sweet Adelines International for 50 years (she will be collecting her 50 year pin on the International stage in Vegas this October) and in that time she has done nearly everything a member of this great cult can do. She has been both President of the World (International president from 1991-1993) and a Queen of Harmony (earned her crown in 1980).

We learned a lot from Her Majesty this weekend, both during our hour of coaching and the rest of the weekends classes. Moving forward, we will use all of the tips we have gotten to be a more consistent chorus, a better group of reigning champs.