History

My cousin Shon and I invented ZION BALL (formerly Verseball) in the summer of 2004 while we were coaching youth sports camps for a gym in Mesa, Arizona. One evening, as Shon and I discussed various matters, it occurred to me that the time had arrived for a transformation in sports.It seemed to me that the world of sports was drifting from the most essential elements of wholesome recreational activities, namely, camaraderie, teamwork, character building, athletic development, exercise and enjoyment.

As a player, spectator, and life-long sports fan, I considered that a reformation would only bring change to peripheral aspects of the sports already in existence. Perhaps it was time for a revolution.I began to ask questions. “What if we designed a new sport?” In his small  bedroom, Shon began to draw. I dictated some ideas for this new sport, and before long, Shon had made a beautiful sketch of a triangular field, divided into three sections.

We thought of a game that included three teams of three players each, hoping that a new format might diffuse the head to head competition that is characteristic of most traditional sports. We continued to draft the field layout and the rules with the simple goal of enhancing teamwork, wholesome recreation, and versatility. Gradually the sport evolved from a rough sketch into a physical reality. Shon and I bought PVC pipe, netting, rope, spray paint, a ball, and various other components to convert the dream into a reality.

 

After painting a field in a park nearby, and assembling the pyramidal goals, we developed the rules of play and scoring. We gave names to every particular aspect of the game, and then prepared it for a trial run. One Saturday, my Uncle Mike mowed a triangular section into a park lawn, and we set up the field and the goals. We invited the youth from the sports camps and several friends to test out the new sport. We hardly noticed the sweat as we played under the sweltering rays of the Arizona sun. Thus, ZION BALL was born.