Learning the Game

Learning to hit the ball with consistency and control should be the first thing a player focuses on when learning the game while placement is also important - it can be achieved with ease when a player learns to hit with control first.  The last thing a new player should learn is to hit with power.  Power is increased when the player learns to use it within his or her abilities to keep the ball in the court and hit their intended target. 

1.  Consistency (control)   
2. Placement  
3. Power.


When you play the game – and you play with this concept in mind you’ll receive the following benefits :

1. You’ll wear your opponent down-   they have to move to more balls when you keep it in play.
2. You’ll have better dictation of the point. You’re hitting with better control – and placement.  
3. You’ll have less unforced errors -  ( giving you opponent unearned points )
4. You’ll have more opportunity to attack you opponents weaker side – because your shots are controlled and deliberate.
5. You’ll  get more opportunity to pass your opponent and win the point,  because you placed the ball and didn’t over hit.  

Singles Strategy and Shot Patterns of Play

3 places you’ll end up during a point -

Neutral  50-50

Ahead   60-40

Behind  40-60

FACT:  Professional Players end up with 75% of unforced errors  down the line.

Play 80% of the court – the invisible court… 2.5 feet in from base and sidelines.  Hitting long is still in play and it’s frosting on the cake. Is painting the line necessary?  Rarely. 

Two rules about going down the line:

1. You have to make it.

2. You can’t get behind in the point.

If you’re going down the line:

Make a minimum of 3 balls crosscourt to work the opponent into a situation where you can hit a high percentage down the line leave yourself some wiggle room – and insure you’re going to make the shot.  

Insure that you don’t get behind or lose position on the crosscourt return. 

Follow your shot to the net,  ( follow the line of the ball to the opponents court ) this allows for the volley to cover the crosscourt and forces low percentage choices for your opponent.

Go to the forehand to get to the backhand especially on a western opponent.

Backhand Captivity – “high topspin rollers” to their backhand corner work well against a slower opponent that struggles with the taking backhands high and lateral movement –when it’s time to finish them to the opposite side.

Slice backhand - hitting zones:

High balls – hit them cross court.  

Low balls – easier to hit slice down the line and effective to hit to the players backhand in order to receive a forehand in return.

Slice backhand – works great because :

Stays low- works great against today’s western grips.

It goes away from the player – down the deuce sideline pulling the opponent off the court especially when receiving a low or mid line ball. You’ll open the court for an inside out forehand.  

Rules are the same for both flat and slice backhand shots -

If you’re going to go down the line - make the shot.  

Insure you don’t put yourself behind in the point – either because the opponent goes crosscourt or back down the line.

If you’re going to hit to the opponents backhand, always - give them the two P’s:  Pace and Penetration.  

If you hit a huge forehand to the corner ( opponents backhand ) hold your position on the corner,  more than likely the ball is coming back to you. 

A note on Pace and Penetration down the line:

Stay & hold the line you don't want to be beat crosscourt – make them hit down the line with the two P's.  

Approach Shots:

When and where to hit approach shots :

Split the service line in half - if the approach ball is on the outside go down the line, if low go with slice,  if high - go cross court with slice.  Keep a low center of gravity and on your toes, be ready to move either way and finish the point.  If ball is on the inside of go with standard flat approach short cross court and cover with a volley.

Volley Patterns:

Billy Jean King was asked once how did you deal with choking?

Her answer (as it relates to being inside the service line to volley)

"When the ball is low ,  I keep it in front of me."

"When it’s high, I put it anywhere I want."

THINK !   When it’s up, you get to penetrate the court.

When it’s down – stay low and balanced – “2 volleys are better than one”.    

 RULE on HALF VOLLEYS - ALL HALF VOLLEYS ALWAYS GO CROSS COURT.  Move through the ball and close the racket face.  

Try to NEVER slice a half volley, this will usually pop it up.

 Remember when appropriate, fudge left and right of center.  The center will always leave more room to cover, think percentages and probabilities.    

Return Patterns:

Key Points:

Hips box out the server- allows for better movement and balance on return.  

Go to the ball.  Avoid sideways movement.  

Restrict the backswing and step towards the ball.   

It’s a one step shot if you move to the ball.  

Receiving 2^nd to Ad side, think and plan for a surprise pull inside-in, down the line.  

June 8, 2014

DOUBLES STRATEGY AND MATCH PLAY:                       

The composition of a doubles team:

One very consistent player on the deuce court, ad court player might have more fire-power & a greater variety of shots. 

Also, two great servers. A team that has one really strong and consistent serve will usually hold serve every time.

Server:

Look to serve inside from the center on the deuce side- when serving to a right hander- it goes to back hand more often setting up partner.

Go with 80-90 % power on slice and kick – usually gives you more travel time to get into net and join partner.

Square up and split before the opponent hits the ball- if that means behind the service line – THAT’S OK – you still have a chance to get a lob over your partner’s head at the net if that is the case… .

Net:

Player needs to stay back from net- middle of box- leaving for split and angle poach. Lead with the racket –so everything stays out in front.

Space management:

Net players always wants to win two points of every game being aggressive within the space that you can cover as the net player. Make it a goal to help your serving partner out with finishing two points from the net. This takes pressure off the server and as the match progresses creates confidence and synergy.  Use the net strap as a guide. If it’s on your side of the net strap- it’s your ball to poach. Crossing the centerline – is commitment to switch. If you cross – auto switch.

To get into opponents servers head – you need to stay active at the net. This will almost always be a distraction to them as the point develops.

Returning Serve: Mentality is to defend the box in front of you so you can more easily get to the net.  Keep your outside foot – adjacent to the net post.  

"No Roses for opponent on return"

You don’t need to hit a winner on the return but you don't want to send them flowers either.

Return down the line EARLY in the match. Establish early- so you get in their heads right away. Another – is CHIP AND CHARGE - Another : Chip lob over the net player – good variety of returns. Let’s make em’ play mentality.  Let them know you’re capable of anything.

Returners partner: Need to stand in close to the T. stay low in box. Good return made – you go on offense. Not so good return – you’re back and ready to defend.  If opponent has a huge first serve,maybe go two back to take some pressure off.  

Serving team:

Tennis is a holding game. If you hold serve – worse case you’ll get to a tiebreaker.

Signal – tennis. ?? Maybe have servers control by just talking in-between points rather than have the net player dictate the point. The server knows where they are going to go with serve. Talking also gives chance to encourage each other ... keeps it positive. Quarterback philosophy – server sees the whole field of play.

Doubles – always look for gaps. Early on-on match – keep most 2nd shot balls down the middle. -Then when you get to a 30-40 point – go down the line. Get the opponent used to thinking and then surprise- and do something different.

When facing an "I" formation – go right at the guy who’s playing the jack in the box position. He’s got to go somewhere – so go at him or her.

Person up is always moving. ALWAYS  - which means shifting and following the ball. Square hips to where the ball is goin.

Up person cannot play spectator tennis. Eyes stay forward.  

Myth - - strength in the middle when you have a righty and a lefty?   Not necessarily…..

Doubles is an angular game it’s OK to put a lefty on the ad side especially when the point is set up with a strong forehand wide to open up the court from the get-go. 

  

Our Truth

We all have an inner guidance system wired to tells us when we’re doing the right things that keep peace in our inner selves, but following that inner voice and taking the actions to live fully and authentically takes making conscientious choices that need to be executed and continually exercised.

In my earlier years of coaching tennis and as a tennis player myself, I knew there would be a connection between how we live off the court and how we play on the court. I knew that if I could get my players to understand this that I could build a successful program.  I spent much of my time thinking there was a right way to live. What was that truth?  For me,  my truth was demonstrated every day that I found myself in front of my tennis students. Rewarded with happiness each and every day that I left the tennis courts.  After a year or so, I realized the rewarded feeling lasted just a few minutes into my drive home from practices or matches.  I realized that there was something more that I needed to do and that was to take charge of my inner self, my own personal  “home team” and be rewarded all day, every day by taking charge of my life. It was a perfect time to do this.  At the time I was a bachelor and my home team was me ! This meant organizing, minimalizing, simplifying and creating better spaces both internally and externally in my life.    

Listening to myself about who I am as a person and realizing my potential were key. Embracing and celebrating the things that I found joy in doing energized me and my teams. I understood through my experiences and passion that I am naturally born to lead and coach!  

I listened to my truth, for that was all that mattered.  A mentor and friend to me, Dale Light, reinforced and affirmed this for me not too long ago.  It’s more about the truth within that is important than strictly believing ones own thoughts, based on our visual perception, run-away processes and other toxins that live around us. It's about our environment and where we are going, rather than where we have been.   It was a learning process that enabled me to change, well, mostly everything, but it brought me peace, clarity and joy in what I do.

My pursuit to share this with others has now entered a new phase. A new journey, an exciting adventure. 

The Boulders Resort

I am VERY proud to be joining this world class resort in the coming weeks.  Stand by for more updates from The Boulders Tennis Courts !

The Boulders Resort - Carefree, Arizona

Meadowdale Boys Tennis Wraps Up 2011 Season 13-3 Over-All

5-2 win puts Thunderbirds just two wins shy of undefeated season

By Aaron Swaney, Herald Writer

LYNNWOOD — Last year the Meadowdale boys tennis team tore through Wesco 3A en route to an undefeated season.

This year the Mavs were the last real test for a Shorewood team trying to duplicate their feat.

Thursday, in what was an evenly battled match, Shorewood got doubles victories in the final two matches to triumph 5-2, leaving it two wins shy of an undefeated season.

“We tried to come out like it was a normal match and play steady,” said Shorewood head coach Arnie Moreno. “I think our guys handled the pressure well.”

Against Meadowdale, Shorewood nearly met its match. Having played against each other for years at area clubs like Harbor Square Athletic Club and Klahaya Athletic Club, players from both teams know each other well, which adds to the rivalry and gave the match added tension.

“There has always been a friendly rivalry that we really appreciate as a team,” said Meadowdale head coach Mark Schneider. Shorewood's Hunter Nelson needed a tiebreaker in the first set to take a one-set lead on Meadowdale's Brian Nguyen at No. 1 singles. In the second set, Nguyen suffered some tightness in his quadricep and eventually fell 6-4. Shorewood's Miles Jamieson and Trevor Cronin won at No. 3 and 4 singles, respectively, to give the Thunderbirds a 3-1 lead.

But with No. 2 singles player Nick Ekern leading Justin Oh and the No. 2 and 3 doubles teams just warming up, a Mavericks' win was still a real possibility.

Ekern, who dropped a hard-fought second set to Oh, battled back in the third set to win 6-2 and leave it up to his teammates to bring home a win. Unfortunately for the Mavs, Shorewood's doubles teams of Isaac Brengelmann and Cameron McDowell and Evan Strandberg and Logan Keebler were up to the task.

Brengelmann and McDowell contained a late charge by Meadowdale's Jason Young and Bennett Holton to win 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) and Strandberg and Keebler cruised in the final set to take the No. 3 doubles match 7-5, 6-2.

“We had much more competitive matches in both No. 1 and 2 singles today — as well as the No. 1 doubles match,” said Schneider. “Our level of play is closely matched — but, in the end Shorewood's doubles got the job done.”

Schneider was especially impressed with Ekern's 6-2, 6-7 (6-8), 6-2 win over Oh. Ekern, who lost to Oh in the players' first meeting on Sept. 22, overcame a tough second set and some bad cramping to put away the feisty singles player from Shorewood.

“It was a great match for Nick,” said Schneider. “He cramped up early in the third set, but after a banana and some Gatorade, he was good to go. He accomplished what I emphasize each and every match: Finish strong and leave everything on the court. He's a happy guy tonight.”

Shorewood will be heavy favorites going into it final matches against Everett today and Lynnwood Saturday. But Moreno is continuing to preach to his team to avoid getting overconfident.

“We have to stay focused,” Moreno said. “We have to go into these matches not doing anything different; just do what we do.
”

Serena Williams the Professional. Not really...........

What about Discipline, Spirit, Mental Toughness, Accountability, Integrity,  Selflessness,  Pride and Humility.   I think Serena needs to visit a Coach Bruce Brown Clinic - and realize that there are thousands of young tennis players watching her.

A Cop ? An Accountant ? Nope....I'm a Tennis Teaching Pro

I'm 100% on board with this article - and if you're not on court with me find a pro like me.... you won't be sorry. 

Problem-Solving Skills to Look For in a Tennis Teaching Pro  

Progressions It's great to know where you want to go, but you also need to know how to get there, and in tennis instruction, the best route isn't always the one that looks quickest or most direct. If you're learning a stroke for the first time, you'll probably learn it best from a teaching pro who knows how to use a progression to teach it. A progression breaks a complicated task, such as the serve, down into easily mastered steps that each lock into the student's mind a key element of the stroke, such as point of contact. A progression intentionally takes longer to get to the full stroke, but once the student arrives, the stroke is sound. For beginners, mastery usually occurs faster, because the time it takes without a progression to retry the full stroke over and over before it starts working correctly usually exceeds by far the time the progression would have taken.

What to Do vs. What to Make Happen:

Once a student has fundamental elements such as the grip properly set, either of two main types of stroke correction might be more effective. Let's say your forehands are flying too high and thus long. The what to do approach would give you direct instructions on how to change your stroke, such as to tilt your racquet face down more on the backswing. The what to make happen approach would tell you to try to hit the next three balls into the net while still swinging low to high, letting your instincts and intuition lead you to make the adjustment needed to make the ball go lower. (Students usually hit lower without actually hitting the net.) Most teaching pros start with what to do, because it's quicker and more direct, and it increases the student's understanding of the biomechanics and physics of the stroke. The what to make happen approach is often easier for the student, though, because it doesn't require as much conscious thinking. Some students do much better with one approach than the other. Look for a pro who uses both approaches.

Creativity:

Teaching and correcting strokes and tactics often requires some creativity, such as devising images and analogies that will be memorable for a student at a given level of experience and intellect. Look for a pro who puts ideas in a form you find easy to remember.

A pro's creativity is most valuable when inventing or modifying drills and games. Many of the best-known tennis drills and games have major flaws. Try to find a pro who has invented or greatly modified a large set of games and drills and who seeks your input in continuing that process. You'll enjoy applying your own creativity and having significant input into your drills and games, and you may see your ideas take hold as popular improvements used throughout the program.

Fostering Self-Reliance:

Much as some players (including many tour pros) seem to wish they could, you can't bring your coach out onto the court to play the game for you. In tennis, you have to rely on yourself, or in doubles, on yourself and your partner. Although it may be in a tennis pro's self-interest to make you feel entirely dependent, you will do much better by knowing how to analyze, correct, and improve your own game. This won't make your teaching pro obsolete--even the world's all-time greatest champions have had plenty yet to improve--but it will help you think your way through matches, practice more effectively, and perhaps most important, feel confident that every problem has a solution.

By Jeff Cooper-About Tennis.com

Tennis is relative for undefeated Meadowdale sisters

 

Above, Kari (at the net) and Erica Beaulieu during a match. Below, Erica chases down a ball. (Photos by Char Blankenship)

By Allison Pascoe

Sisters Kari and Erica Beaulieu are tearing up the court at Meadowdale High School. The Beaulieus, who play doubles on the varsity tennis team, are undefeated this season.

 Kari, a senior, and Erica Beaulieu, a sophomore, have played tennis for the Mavericks for  two years, and during that time have only played doubles together. “I really like playing with my sister,” Erica says.

The sisters agree that knowing each other and their capabilities so well is a major advantage in a match. “We have better communication,” explains Kari. The sisters are able to be more open and honest with one another than most doubles teams. Throughout a match the girls constantly let each other know of possible plays and where to improve. They explain that their criticism isn’t personal, it only serves as encouragement.

The girls are also able to separate the sport from their personal lives. After each match the Beaulieus discuss highlights and points that they need to work on, but then they leave the competition on the court.

“They are both incredible athletes and they have really inspired the team with their competitive spirits” says Meadowdale Head Coach Mark Schneider.

Kari has been accepted to the Honors Program at Washington State University, where she will be attending next fall. She plans on playing intramural tennis at WSU, but says “I will miss playing tennis with my sister.” In future seasons without Kari, Erica will play singles tennis for the Mavericks.

BIG BALL

                                    
                                                                   BIG BALL

Check out this great game that works well as a warm-up or as a team building exercise.  Big Ball emphasizes explosive movement and spacing to the ball - along with team-work and excellent conditioning.  Try this as a singles game one -on-one for a real work-out. You'll be surprised at the cardiovascular work-out you'll get!

USPTA Tip of the Week

This week's tip features the strategic component, which involves a player's overall game plan and usually incorporates two or more of the tactical elements. Strategies may change during the course of a match, so a player must learn how to adjust his strategy in certain situations based on outside variables such as an opponent's style of play, the physical environment and the particular game or match score.

The seven strategic subcomponents are: repetition, recognizing strengths, game style, surfaces, game situations, match situations and tournament situations.

Repetition is the ability to reproduce tactics that have proved successful against the opponent. The player needs to be able to recognize and identify which tactics are working and make adjustments when needed.

Recognizing strengths – knowing your own strengths and weaknesses and how to use them in developing a game plan or tactics against the opponent's strengths and weaknesses.

Game style – a player's game style depends on his personality, strengths and weaknesses. These traits determine the strategies and tactics he implements in competition.

Surfaces – knowing all types of playing surfaces with their individual characteristics and the ability to adapt to each one of them appropriately.

Game situations are conditions that exist in a game such as the score, whether the player is serving or returning, winning or losing, environmental conditions such as sun, wind, etc. A player's ability to handle and adapt to different situations is critical.

Match situations involve adapting to situations that unfold during a match such as when to change a losing strategy, starting the match during the day but finishing at night, playing a morning versus an evening match, the score – whether it is an eight-game pro set or best-of-three sets, etc.

Tournament situations – adapting to the variety of challenges that occur in the normal course of a tournament, such as if a player will be playing one or two matches per day (sometimes more if doubles are involved), if it is a weekend tournament or a week-long tournament, draw size, rain delays, etc.

Meadowdale senior hopes to get back to 3A state tournament

By David Pan, Weekly Herald Sports editor

  Meadowdale's Josie Dow caught the tennis bug late in life.

The Maverick senior is making up for lost time, though.

Dow got really serious about tennis her sophomore year when she played No. 2 singles. She moved up to the No. 1 slot last year and demonstrated she had upped her game by winning the Western Conference 3A singles title. Dow finished third at the district tournament and advanced to state where she went 1-2.

In preparation for her senior year, Dow immersed herself in the sport last summer.

“I was coaching in the morning and playing in the afternoon,” Dow said. “Then I'd go play at Harbor Square and then a different camp. I was just going all day long. That's just what I love.

“I was looking to take tennis to the next level.”

The road to the Class 3A state tournament is more difficult this season since a number of schools with elite players have dropped down to 3A this year.

“It's definitely going to be tough this year,” Dow said. “There are going to be some long matches out there.”   Meadowdale coach Mark Schneider predicts that Dow will do just fine.

“I don't think it's going to impact Josie,” he said. “She's still the same athlete as she was last year. She's going to do just as well this year.”

If she should make it back to state, Dow feels she is better prepared to handle the pressure. Last year's tournament was a learning experience.

During a critical tiebreaker point in a first-round match last year, a ball was hit out but because a post was blocking her view, Dow didn't see it. Instead of asking an official for a ruling, Dow assumed the ball was in and she lost the point.

“I'm learning what to do with the referee,” Dow said. “You always have to question if you're unsure.”

Dow strengthened her fundamentals during the summer and expects all her hard work to pay off in the postseason.

“I just feel like I'm not going to break down as much in the tougher situations,” Dow said. “They say if you're not as fundamentally sound, when you get nervous or when you get tight, that stuff is going to revert back.

“I'm really working at keeping all that I've learned and showing it on the court.”

Dow's confidence level also is much higher. She admitted that she sometimes felt like the underdog going up against players with more experience.

“I played a lot of tough girls since last year,” Dow said. “I feel like I can definitely hang with these girls.”

Like many elite tennis players Dow started playing when she was young but then her focus shifted.

“I played tennis in the fifth grade, just like rec in the summer. It was really relaxed,” Dow said. “Then I quit for soccer.”

Eventually, Dow realized that soccer wasn't the sport for her and she decided to go back to tennis as she entered high school.

“It's been my main sport ever since,” Dow said.

And it's a sport Dow hopes to continue playing in college at the University of Puget Sound. The school is Division III, which means players try out for the team.

Earlier this month, Dow attended a match between Puget Sound and Whitman College and had the opportunity to see former teammate Olivia Bates, who plays for Whitman.

“I felt like I could definitely step up and play at that level,” Dow said. “It's something I can work and strive for. I'll definitely be working a lot on my tennis over the summer.”

Right now Dow is focused on preparing for the postseason. A wrist injury kept her on the sidelines from November through January. The start of the high school season marked the return of Dow to serious competition. The wet spring weather, however has limited Meadowdale's opportunity to practice outside.

As a result, the regular season has taken on an added importance as Dow uses matches to continue to refine her skills.

“I definitely have a lot more confidence that I can really prove myself this year,” Dow said. “I just have to play my best. There's nothing to lose now. It's my senior year.”

Keeping the Ball OUT of their Comfort Zone

During yesterdays match,  I discussed keeping the ball out of the opponents strike-zones or out of their "comfort zones".  This particular tactic demonstrated in the short video below is excellent.  It works well with the the non-aggressive player or the player that won't move their feet to get into position to handle the shot.    This provides an excellent opportunity to put you into an offensive situation so take advantage of it and  follow your shot, you'll find yourself finishing the point at the net.Putting your opponent under stress... you may find that they'll start trying to hit outside of their zone or running around the backhand forcing more unforced errors. 
        

Remember to analyze the warm-up- give this ball to your opponent early to see how they    handle it! 

                                                                          
                                                                  

Time Out With Kari Beaulieu, senior, Meadowdale Tennis

Bad communication equals bad results for doubles tennis partners.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are competitors like Kari Beaulieu and Erica Beaulieu. The cohesive sisters constantly talk on the court to make sure they are ready for every exchange.

"I love playing with my sister," said Meadowdale High School senior Kari Beaulieu, who currently teams up with Erica, a sophomore, in the Mavericks' No. 2 doubles slot.

During matches, the sisters repeatedly holler directions to each other to improve their positioning. Afterward, they critique one another's performances. It gets intense sometimes, but it usually works: The Beaulieu sisters are 11-0 this season.

"The fact that she's my sister allows me to be really open with her," said Kari Beaulieu. "I don't feel uncomfortable telling her, 'You can improve on this' or 'You can improve on that.' No matter what happens, we're always going to be close.

"It's not personal," Kari Beaulieu added. "It's just part of the game."

Coach's corner

Meadowdale tennis coach Mark Schneider said Beaulieu and her sister are one of the most in-synch duos he has ever mentored: "They're really good friends and they communicate really well on the court. In fact, their communication is some of the best I've seen on a doubles team in the 14 years I've been at Meadowdale."

                        Kari Beaulieu on left while Erica and Coach Schneider talk about overheads
                                                            Photo by Char Blakenship
                  


Drastic improvement

Although this is just her second season playing high school tennis, Kari Beaulieu improved quickly by challenging high-caliber opponents. "I've just learned from playing against people who are better than me and learning from their techniques and mimicking what they do," she said. In particular, Beaulieu enhanced her backhand, which was once a big weakness.

Always hustle

Beaulieu is inexperienced but she counteracts that deficiency by hustling to get every ball. "I have a really positive attitude," she said, "and I always push myself: 'Go for it. You have nothing to lose.' I end up getting a lot of balls that people don't think I'd be able to get to."

A break from soccer

Soccer, not tennis, is Beaulieu's primary sport. The outside midfielder started playing soccer at age 8 and played three seasons on Meadowdale's varsity team. She also played select soccer for the Northwest Nationals of Edmonds. After recently playing the final select game of her career, Beaulieu is ready to move on. "I'm just looking forward -- now that soccer's over -- to play more sports," said Beaulieu, who plans to try several intramural sports, including badminton, in college.

Piano woman

Now that she has more free time, Beaulieu plans to learn how to play the piano. Her first priority is to learn some classic Elton John songs.

Giving back

In the past year, Beaulieu volunteered more than 80 hours at the Lynnwood Food Bank. In addition, as a Link Crew leader she helped incoming freshmen transition to Meadowdale High. She is also a member of Inter-High, a district-level ASB outreach organization. She helped Inter-High organize a talent show that raised money for an Edmonds-Woodway High student diagnosed with cervical cancer.

Headed to Pullman

Beaulieu was accepted into Washington State University's honors program. Beaulieu -- who has a 3.75 cumulative grade-point average and scored 1950 on the SAT -- is especially excited to study Spanish in college.

Favorite flicks

Two of Beaulieu's favorite films are the Dr. Seuss adaptation "Horton Hears a Who!" (2008) and the holiday comedy classic "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" (1989) starring Chevy Chase. Beaulieu's favorite scene in the latter movie is when wacky patriarch Clark Griswold gets trapped in the attic, puts on women's clothing to stay warm and watches heart-warming home movies.

Mike Cane, Herald Writer