LDS Church ball is broken down into four age groups: 12- to 15-year-olds play "teacher" ball; 16- to 18-year-olds play "priest" ball; 18- to 35-year-olds, play "senior" ball; and those 35 years and older play "veteran" ball.

Improvement

Utah North Area sports director Leonard Mecham, who answers directly to the church's general authorities, said he can already see signs of a turnaround with the sportsmanship scoring system.

He oversees the sports programs from North Salt Lake to Malad, Idaho, and from Heber City to Rock Springs, Wyo.

The senior team eliminated from the region tournament in 2007 as a result of the technical foul, came back this year in the region tournament and won its respective age group, Mecham said.

"You can see a turnaround there that was happening because of the program," Mecham said.

In his geographic region there are 150 LDS Church stakes with about 35,000 church basketball players, Mecham said, of which about 350 are nonmembers.

Mecham said it is the duty of LDS leaders to provide a program in which nonmembers can have a good experience.

"We use it for a fellowshipping tool," Mecham said. "If (the players) can't display good sportsmanship, they won't have a program. It is the fellowshipping we are concerned about.

"We can touch more lives (with the basketball program) faster than we can with any other program in the church, because (nonmembers) will come to play ball. It is a nonthreatening environment."

Churchwide?

Mecham said with the results the sportsmanship scoring program has had on players' behaviors, he can envision the system one day being used churchwide.

"It will come. It is just a process of education."

There are church sports directors who run a great program without the sportsmanship scoring system, Mecham said. "But the sportsmanship program makes things easier."

West Point teen Alex Perez is one nonmember who said he plays LDS Church basketball out of love for the game.

Perez said for the past two seasons he has played basketball for the West Point 3rd Ward teacher team.

"I think it is a great way to play basketball," the 14-year-old guard said. "It's pretty sweet. They should have church baseball."

The sportsmanship program is not only making it easier for nonmembers to play, but is also making it easier for officials to call a game.

Hoop manners

West Weber Region officials coordinator Jeff Boyson said it is exciting to see young men play basketball and "watch them compete with manners."

Having the sportsmanship program makes for better basketball, better fans and better officials, Boyson said.