Allegheny County executives haven't lost their marbles, they've found new places to shoot them.

Last week county Chief Executive Dan Onorato announced an expansion of the county's long-running recreational marbles program that will bring instruction, casual games and organized competition to Allegheny County parks.

"[The county] has a long and wonderful tradition with marbles," said Onorato in a prepared statement. "As part of our effort to expand recreational opportunities throughout the county, we are introducing marbles clinics and competitions at four county parks."

The marbles program includes activities at schools, Boys and Girls Clubs, the Pittsburgh International Children's Festival and the county courthouse. Beginning March 24 it will expand to Boyce, Round Hill, North and South parks.

The program is free to children 14 and under.

Allegheny County's marbles tradition stretches from the program's City of Pittsburgh origin in the 1970s to the National Marbles Championship, which has been won the past four years by Allegheny County youngsters.

"Around here, brothers teach brothers, cousins teach cousins and when they get old enough they teach their kids," said Ed Ricci, associate coordinator of the program, which was founded 33 years ago by his grandfather Walt Lease. "He was a math teacher who played pool. He applied the physics of pool to marbles and came up with some of the styles of shooting we have today."

The Allegheny County Marbles Tournament will be held May 29-31 at the Allegheny County Courthouse. Local winners will qualify for the 85th National Marbles Championship June 15-19 in Wildwood, N.J.