Westmoreland County YMCAs court pickleball fans with increased opportunities to play

Oct. 8—Pickleball — the game that is part tennis and part Ping-Pong — is soaring in popularity in the region and is gaining a higher profile in Westmoreland County.

Two local YMCAs, in downtown Greensburg and in the Mt. Pleasant area, have expanded their pickleball offerings.

The Greensburg YMCA is reintroducing pickleball game time, starting with two indoor courts in the gymnasium. Weekly pickup games will be available from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, beginning Oct. 20.

The pickleball programming will kick off with an instructional clinic at 6 p.m. Thursday.

The game is "a cousin of table tennis. It's like playing Ping-Pong but you're standing on the table," said Scott Brown, director of sports and wellness at the Greensburg Y.

Some of pickleball's main differences from tennis are the use of paddles and Wiffle-type balls and a smaller court that includes a volley-free "kitchen" area extending 7 feet on either side of the net.

Pickleball play began at the Greensburg Y in 2019 but was interrupted by the arrival of the covid-19 pandemic. It has been back in place since then before being temporarily sidelined this summer to make way for a basketball league.

Brown sees the possibility for expansion of pickleball offerings at the Greensburg venue.

"I think there's a potential to get a ton of people involved," he said. "Our goal is not only to promote the game, but for our members and nonmembers to compete, learn how to play the sport and enjoy the camaraderie and sense of community our Y offers. Additionally, we want to expose the sport to players of all ages, and even introduce it as a family activity."

Located in East Huntingdon, near Mt. Pleasant, the YMCA of Laurel Highlands has doubled its capacity to accommodate players. It has developed three outdoor courts, joining the same number of indoor courts.

The outdoor courts are available during daylight hours, weather permitting.

"We have been offering dedicated court time in our gymnasium for about eight years, but that was limited to mornings," said Steve Simon, CEO of the Laurel Highlands Y. "Because of this, we were mostly getting individuals who were retired. By having the outdoor courts we are hoping to attract a much larger group of players.

"Over the years, the number of players has just kept growing. On many days, we'll have 24 players in the morning."

He said the Laurel Highlands Y is looking to add indoor pickleball play time on two evenings each week.

Jacob DePalm of Greensburg is glad to see the addition of local pickleball courts. Along with fellow pickleball enthusiast Mike Stewart of Penn Township, he'll be leading theupcoming clinic at the Greensburg Y.

DePalm never realized his desire to play tennis, but a friend who is involved in that sport turned him on to pickleball about three years ago.

"It's really easy to pick up," DePalm said. "I started getting good at it pretty quickly.

"It's great for exercise and socializing. It allows adults and kids of all ages to easily get together. I've met a whole community of people; we network, get together and play."

DePalm's pickleball network has grown to about 50 people, with some members meeting for games at venues including the Hempfield Township Athletic Complex, Legion Keener Park in Latrobe and Boyce Park in Monroeville.

"It's important that we have the YMCA available for evening play," he said. "In the winter, it's tough to find indoor courts."

Stewart was introduced to pickleball while wintering in Florida in 2020.

Anybody can get involved in pickleball," he said. "It doesn't matter whether you're a great athlete.

It's not an over-exerting workout, but you still get to build up a good sweat."

"You can play it at all different levels," he added. "The more you play the better you get."

Advance registration is not required to play pickleball at the two local Ys. Participation is free for Y members while nonmembers must pay a fee. The cost is $5 at the Greensburg Y; a guest pass at the Laurel Highlands Y costs $10 for adults, $5 for those 18 or younger or 62 or older.

For more information, contact Brown at 724-834-0150, ext. 113, or the Laurel Highlands Y at 724-547-9622.

Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jeff by email at jhimler@triblive.com or via Twitter .