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Mary Richards reportingIt's the only fight that begins with an opening prayer! The new movie "Church Ball" hits theaters tonight. People say from what they've seen so far, it looks pretty close to the real thing.
So, what is real church ball like?
It's early on a Saturday morning. Two teams meet in the middle of the court where they say an opening prayer.
Greg Thorton: "There was one guy that in his prayer said 'Please bless us to fight clean.'"
Greg Thorton with the Crystal Heights Second Ward is playing the Imperial First Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The game stays close to the end and things get heated. Crystal Heights Second loses, and is out of the tournament.
"It's always disappointing to lose, but it's not worth getting angry about anymore," says Thorton.
His teammate Kevin Jeppson says, "The reputation church ball has is being rough, and you're lucky if you don't come home injured or something."
Jeppson says he used to be a hot head. "I've refereed these games before and had people yell at me so I don't like being on that end where I'm being yelled at so I just stopped."
"There have been a few stakes that I've heard of that don't let investigators play church ball because it's not a good experience for them," says Thorton.
It seems everyone has a church ball story. Michelle Mcfarland is here watching her husband play. "My dad used to get really worked up in church ball and my mom would get so embarrassed. She had five little girls and she'd leave."
Thorton has fond memories of church ball. "I've had one bishopric announce it in the pulpit in Elders Quorum when someone got a foul -- actually when I got a technical foul and got kicked out of the game. So, they find a way to humble you one way or another"
Jeppson says he'll keep playing as long as he can. "Til I'm 60, 70 however long you can go."
