MEMORIES OF THE INTER-STAKE CENTER

1955 to 2013

Note: Most of this information was assembled by
Duane and Karen LeSueur.

Many thanks to them for their dedication to this assignment.

The primary goal or dream of the Ellsworth brothers, and many other church leaders was to provide a place for church sports activities. What happened went even beyond their dreams. When completed in 1955, it was the best facility for basketball in the state of Arizona, and one of the best in the USA. All young men and women who liked to play now had a place to play that was beyond anything they had imagined. 

All youth, and young men who liked to play basketball and compete in the all-church tournament loved to play on the main court. This was the ultimate experience for a basketball lover. It had glass backboards, a new thing that had just started. Very few facilities had this. It was beyond all our dreams.

Several years after the building was finished, I was watching Mesa 10th and Mesa 6th Wards competed to see who would represent Arizona in the senior all-church tournament. Watching Bobby Oates and Whizzer White compete was a memory most will never forget. In 1957, one moment never to be forgotten was to see George Hale of the Mesa 10th throw the basketball the length of the main court and make the basket. The junior tournaments were also very competitive and fun and each year the winner would go to compete in the all-church tournament.

During the past 58 years, fathers, sons and grandsons have competed in sports, as well as mothers, daughters, and granddaughters. This includes basketball, volleyball, and softball.

However, the real story even goes beyond sports. Many things that happened there were not even thought about in the beginning. Probably stake conferences were planned originally but on a smaller scale than eventually happened. Other activities such as dances, dance festivals, dorms for housing the temple excursions from Mexico and South America, humanitarian activities, costumes for the Easter Pageant, were a bonus that came without definite plans in the beginning.

Some other activities that have been an added benefit are:

1.   Community activities, such as schools using the facilities for their sports program

2.   Phoenix Suns and Harlem Globetrotters playing there

3.   Stake offices located there for many years

4.   Family History work such as extraction

5.   Project Santa

6.   Road Shows and plays

7.   Church auxiliary activities

8.   Single adult and young single adult activities

Because of the vision of church leaders in the 1950’s, those growing up or living in Arizona during the past 53 years have had their lives blessed as. Special thanks to all those who contributed to this success story. 

 May we now move forward with this remodeled and improved facility and keep this legacy going for another 50 years. This is how we can show our appreciation to the previous generations who have made this all possible.