It isn’t tennis, but pickleball is still a workout.

At least, that’s what Gleason Family YMCA Senior Program Director Lu Brito found, when he took on a spry oldster from the Bourne pickleball community.

“I was actually doing okay, but I knew he was toying with me, so I said, ‘Let me see how you would really play,’” Brito said. “And he started putting this spin on the ball … It was fun!”

Brito said the game is “kind of like ping pong”, and was introduced to the Y by John Salerno. He said the is favored by many seniors, due to lower stress on the legs and joints, and less ground to cover, compared with a tennis court.

Pickleball is played much like tennis, but the court is the size of a badminton court, and the ball may only be served underhand. The game uses plastic balls and paddles, and may be played either one-on-one, or as a doubles team.

The offering at the Y is currently new, and Brito simply hopes to generate interest in the sport. He said drop-in games are on offer Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Eventually, Brito said, he hopes the Y can turn its outdoor skate park into a pickleball court area, because the park isn’t often used.

“This way, we can fit three pickleball courts in, and more people can play,” Brito said. “If we introduce people to it now, we can create leagues, and have tournaments. Just to offer something different.”