CJ Klinger, originally from Ohio, began playing pickleball at age 12 after his family relocated to southwest Florida. As a child, he played many sports, most notably tennis, before ultimately committing to pickleball. Early in his career, he often teamed up with his dad in tournaments. CJ earned numerous medals in amateur competitions before transitioning to the pro level, where he steadily climbed the ranks to become a full-time competitor. In 2023, he was part of the MLP Challenger team, the SoCal Hard Eights, playing a key role in their three-peat championship run and earning MVP honors twice.

Standing 6'3" and playing left-handed, CJ takes pride in being a selfless teammate and brings a disciplined, aggressive, all-around game to the court. Off the court, he's passionate about archaeology, geography, and music. His hero is fellow Ohio native and Olympic legend Jesse Owens.