On nights and weekends, the parquet at the O’Donoghue Center of the BYC (Brandywine Youth Club) Complex in Concord is lined for basketball, volleyball, wrestling and cheerleading.

On Monday afternoons and Tuesday mornings, however, the measurements turn to pickleball.

A combination of table tennis, badminton and tennis, pickleball is the rage among local seniors. The technique and effort needed make the game far more than merely ensuring the ball clears the net. 

“It is so much fun,” said Maris Grove resident Betty Allcorn. “It’s like tennis, without the tennis elbow.”

Named for the family pet of one of the game’s co-inventors, pickleball has more than 100,000 active players, according to statistics from the United States Pickleball Association. The website (www.usapa.org) includes a monthly newsletter and information about equipment, regional sites and tournaments. 

Pickleball is played with a wooden paddle and whiffle-type orb on a court sized for doubles badminton. The surface is striped like a tennis court, minus the alleys, and divided by service lines. A no-volley zone extends seven feet from the net on either side.

The ball, served underhand, is hit diagonally to the opponent’s service zone, with points scored by the serving side when the opposing player is unable to return the shot. The winning side is the first to score 11 points and lead by at least two.

The local players, the majority of whom live in Concord Crossing, Concord Pointe, Fox Hill Farm, Maris Grove and Windsor, or are members of Concord Township Seniors, were like “the man without a country,” or at least a pickleball court, until they learned of the BYC facility. The topic was raised during a meeting at Maris Grove and supervisor John Gillespie, liaison to the senior citizen group, realized with a few new lines and nets, the parquet could be transformed.

“Betty (Allcorn) mentioned the need for a place to play,” he said. “When we told them about the gym, they realized it would be perfect for their needs.”

The league, which began at the site on Halloween, sets up court 3-5p.m., Monday and 9-11a.m., Tuesday; the former for more advanced players, the latter for those newer to the game. Each session is filled with men and women playing matches or honing their skills.

An avid tennis player, Gary and Betsy Kamin, of Chester Heights, have adapted their serve and stance to pickleball. After watching a demonstration, they were hooked.

“We went to a pickle ball open house and had a ball,” said Gary. “It took us a few days to learn and now we love it.”