WEST JORDAN, Utah -- Playing basketball in LDS Church gyms for years has been called "the brawl that begins with a prayer." It's even been happily emblazoned on shirts bought at local stores.

But for Kae Strong, officials coordinator for the Salt Lake area, church ball needs to be more like the Sermon on the Mount than a brawl.

"The whole Sermon on the Mount can be seen, or at least should be seen, on the basketball floor," said Strong. "Loving your enemy, treating each other with respect, being humble."



Strong, an official with high school experience, shared her insights during the second of a four-week basketball refereeing clinic for those in the Utah Salt Lake City area, which covers all of Salt Lake County as well as Tooele and Park City.

"We need to teach players, coaches and fans -- with the gospel -- to be Christ-like, and do it by doing our callings to the best of our abilities," Strong said. "If you were in a church meeting, you'd never hear someone stand up and say, 'You're an idiot,' or 'You don't know what you're talking about.' It'd never happen."

While Strong and Kelly Kinghorn, a college-credentialed official, taught the basics on violations, stressed specific rules and gave tips on how to avoid conflicts during dead ball periods, an emphasis on keeping the gospel in everything on the floor was prominent throughout the two-hour clinic held at the Mountain View Stake Center in West Jordan.

Kinghorn advised listeners that while referees are there to enforce the rules and keep players in check, it doesn't mean officials can't have positive interactions with players.

"We don't have to have every conversation that we have when we have a striped shirt on be confrontational," Kinghorn said. "If we make a friend on the court, that helps us. Making friends and using them to help keep control of the game is a good thing. "

Strong said President Thomas S. Monson's talk about avoiding anger especially applies to the hardwood.

"President Monson answered a lot of prayers," she said. "Nowhere in that talk did he say it's OK to do it on a basketball floor. There were no exceptions made."

Both officials said while knowing the rules and what the basketball official calling is all about are very important, reliance on the Spirit on the hardwood -- just like everywhere else -- is essential.

"Do your callings with a lot of prayer. I promise you that you will receive that same inspiration for your calling as you would if you were running the Young Men's program," Strong said. "It is still the Lord's program, and it is here for a reason. The more I watch the church sports program, the more I see the amazing venue the Lord has set out to teach his gospel."

Strong and others will teach two more clinics on the last two Saturdays in October, from 8-10 a.m. at the Mountain View Stake Center in West Jordan, 9000 S. 2900 West. Next week's topic will be on foul basics, and the Oct 31 clinic will cover the advantages and disadvantages in making a call as well as dealing with coaches, players and fans.
E-mail: nnewman@desnews.com