YMCA Pickleball Center 

Frequently Asked Questions

ABOUT PICKLEBALL CENTER

Where is YMCA Pickleball Center located?

Pickleball Center is strategically placed close to the existing YMCA of Greater Brandywine branches with short drive times between each location to allow for members to play across all of our courts and facilities. 

  • Brandywine YMCA - 13 mins / 7.8 miles
  • Jennersville YMCA - 38 mins / 26.4 miles
  • Kennett Area YMCA - 28 mins / 14.6 miles
  • Lionville Community YMCA - 10 mins / 4.6 miles
  • Oscar Lasko YMCA - 13 mins / 6.7 miles
  • Upper Main Line YMCA - 24 mins / 16.9 miles
  • West Chester Area YMCA - 16 mins / 9.4 miles

What is available at YMCA Pickleball Center?

  • More than 80 hours per week of facility access with multiple courts for open skill-level play. The facility will be open from 8 AM - 9 PM on weekdays and 8 AM - 7 PM on weekends. View schedules.
  • Nine dedicated indoor pickleball courts
  • Professional court surfaces and lighting. We have installed SportMaster ProCushion System which consists of multiple coats of flexible acrylic layers, filled with rubber granules for shock absorption and cushioned effect, without disrupting ball bounce. This system is designed to provide ultimate resilience and spin-responsive play. The shock-absorbing layers of the ProCushion system provide unparalleled player comfort perfect for all levels of pickleball play.
  • Pickleballs provided through a free ball machine available for scheduled practice sessions.
  • Extended court reservation windows with all play times included without additional fees! 
  • Dedicated pickleball and passionate staff to oversee courts and reservations
  • Restrooms, changing areas and showers

    

What does YMCA Pickleball Center look like?

Pickleball Center at Downingtown includes nine dedicated pickleball courts, a lobby with space for socializing, restrooms featuring changing areas and showers and more.

YMCA Pickleball Center at Downingtown.

What are the hours of the Pickleball Center?

Pickleball Center is open from 8 AM – 9 PM on weekdays and 8 AM – 7 PM on weekends with more than 80 hours per week of skill-level open play available.

Are the Pickleball hours changing at existing YGBW locations?

As pickleball continues to grow and more people continue to pick up the sport, the YMCA is closely reviewing additional capacity in order to provide a great experience for all players and to ensure that our gyms/facilities are available for all.

With the opening of Pickleball Center, the YMCA will be able to provide a great experience for current players with more than 80 facility hours per week of dedicated skill level open play and assurance that members will have access to daily play.

With this, there may be changes to existing schedules to ensure that we are meeting the needs of the entire community.
 

What classes and clinics will be offered at the YMCA Pickleball Center at Downingtown?

Intro to Pickleball Clinics are free to YGBW and Center members. View our schedule of all other classes and clinic. Sign up today.

 

Will private lessons be available at YMCA Pickleball Center?

Yes, private lessons will be available. During private lessons at Pickleball Center, you will have a designated court and instructor.

How does Child Watch work for YMCA Pickleball Center at Downingtown?

Members who have a Downingtown Pickleball Center membership and are full YMCA of Greater Brandywine family members may utilize child watch services at any YGBW branch for no additional charge (up to 3 hours per day) when they have scheduled time to play at the pickleball center. 

In general, family members who would like to utilize the off-site pickleball center and child watch, can drop their child(ren) off at any open YMCAGBW child watch center before heading to the offsite courts. Parents/Guardians will pick child(ren) up after their pickleball session. The child(ern) may stay in child watch up to 3 hours per day. 

PICKLEBALL CENTER MEMBERSHIPS

How do I join the YMCA Pickleball Center at Downingtown?

Memberships for YMCA Pickleball Center at Downingtown may be added on to an existing YGBW membership. If you are not a YGBW member, you can purchase a membership to just Pickleball Center. 

  • Current YMCA of Greater Brandywine Members - $59/month
    Current YGBW members can choose to add the Pickleball Center membership to their existing membership package for $59 per month per adult individual. Purchase today.
     
  • Pickleball Center Only Memberships - $99/month
    Individuals interested in joining only the Pickleball Center (those without a current YGBW membership) will be charged a one-time $99 join fee, plus $99 per individual per month for their Center-only membership. Purchase today.


Memberships are being limited to ensure those who join have plenty of play time on our courts. YGBW members who do not choose to add Pickleball Center to their YGBW membership will continue to enjoy access to the existing branch locations.

Additional fees will apply to lessons and clinics with discounted pricing available to members.

We know that there are some other facilities looking to provide similar services and we have put together a comparison chart to help explain how our pricing compares – and the tremendous value to our members. 

Is a YMCA membership required to join Pickleball Center?

A YMCA of Greater Brandywine membership is not required to join Pickleball Center, however, YGBW members receive discounted rates along with access to a total of more than 50 indoor and outdoor courts across Chester County along with numerous membership benefits including wellness centers, special events and offerings, pools and gymnasiums, amenities, discounts and more.

I have an insurance-based membership, how can I join the YMCA Pickleball Center?

Current YGBW Members who receive their membership through an insurance program including Silver Sneakers, Silver and Fit, Renew Active, Health Plan Partners or One Pass qualify for the YGBW member rate of $59 per adult for the Pickleball Center. If you do not have an existing YGBW membership, you can join YGBW at no cost as a Silver Sneakers, Silver & Fit, Renew Active, Health Plan Partners or One Pass member, which will bring your Pickleball Center Membership to the member rate of $59 per month. You will have access to all YGBW facilities.

Are guest passes available for the Pickleball Center?

YMCA Pickleball Center members will be permitted to bring guests for $15 per person so long as space is available. Members will have priority for registering for play time. Members can contact the Center 48 hours in advance of their request play time to determine is space will be available for guests.

Is financial assistance available for the Pickleball Center?

YMCA of Greater Brandywine offers income-based membership options to ensure that membership is affordable for all. Individuals with an active YGBW income-based membership will receive a financial assistance discount toward the member rate at YMCA Pickleball Center at Downingtown. To receive your discount on Pickleball Center memberships, you must reach out directly to our Membership Engagement Center 610-643-9622, ext. 2144.

For more information about how to apply for income-based membership or financial assistance, please visit Ways to Save.

 

THE GAME AT PICKLEBALL CENTER

What are the rules at Pickleball Center? How will courts be assigned?

  1. Courts will be assigned for open play based on player rating in Pickleball Den (PD). The number of courts available for each level will be based on the pre-registered sign-ups on PD. Member sign-ups can be made as soon as seven days in advance and as late as 15 minutes before playtime. Courts will be assigned 5 minutes before the start time. Use the paddle-up system outside of each court to be next up on the court that corresponds to your skill level rating in PD. Learn more about  the Pickleball Center ranking system
     
  2. Games will be played to 11. Winners stay and split and there is a 2-game maximum when people are waiting.
     
  3. You are welcome to paddle up on any of the assigned courts that correspond to your player rating in PD. This process allows all sessions to be available to all levels of players. If you wish to test up for a higher rating, please see a Center team member for specific skill criteria and the next rating session.
     
  4. Staff will be available for all open play sessions to manage play and ensure a positive experience.

What will the player rating system at the Pickleball Center be?

To continue driving an exceptional player experience, we employ a numbered player rating system at Pickleball Center at Downingtown. This numbered rating system allows members to continue to play with their current friends at their current skill level while also properly assessing the skill level of those members that desire a more competitive experience and/or tournament play. Learn more.

Our branches (Jennersville, Kennett, West Chester, Oscar Lasko, Brandywine, Lionville, and Upper Main Line) will continue to offer open skill level play at our current rating system of Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced.

Can courts be reserved at Pickleball Center?

Courts are assigned for open play based on players’ number rating in Pickleball Den (PD). The number of courts available for each level will be based on the pre-registered sign-ups in Pickleball Den. 

Member sign-ups can be made as soon as seven days in advance and as late as 15 minutes before play time. Courts will be assigned 5 minutes before start time. Use the paddle-up system outside of each court to be next up on the court that corresponds to your skill level rating in PD.

Can I sign up for more than one open play session per day?

You will be able to sign up for more than one play session when we first open. However, as memberships grow, we will continually evaluate this to ensure all members receive adequate playtime. We ask all members to be kind. Please only attend one playtime a day at our busiest times. If additional spots are available on the same day, please wait until an hour before playtime to book your second time to ensure all members have a chance to play daily.

How do I learn more about the YMCA Pickleball Center at Downingtown?

EASY.