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Meet the Sliders

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Carson (CJ) Klinger

One of the youngest players in Major League Pickleball, 18 year-old CJ Klinger started playing pickleball at age 12 when his family moved to southwest Florida. He played a variety of sports growing up, focusing primarily on tennis before switching to Pickleball. After winning numerous medals on the amateur circuit, CJ moved up to the pro level and began competing full-time. CJ prides himself on being a great teammate first, while playing an all-around disciplined and aggressive game.

CJ hails from Ohio and is an avid Cincinnati Bengals and Ohio State Buckeyes fan, and his hero is Ohio’s own Jesse Owens. CJ’s other interests include archaeology, geography and music.

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Follow CJ on Instagram

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Parris Todd

Parris Todd began her career as a tennis player. She began to play the PRO ITF tour at age fourteen, traveling throughout the US and to numerous countries to gain experience. To date, Todd holds over 85+ tennis titles.

As the pandemic slowed down the globe, Pickleball was an emerging sport and there was no going back. Parris has enjoyed herself more than ever on the courts, and has won over 45 medals on the APP & PPA tours she also earned two MLP titles in 2022 and is a triple crown winner at the US Open in 2023. Parris’s ultimate dedication, determination, and championship spirit are quickly advancing her both on the court and in life.

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Follow Parris on Instagram

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Andrei Daescu

Andrei Daescu is native to Becharest, Romania and currently resides in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Andrei received a scholarship from the University of Oklahoma for tennis, and was an All-American his senior year. He graduated in 2010 and then went on to play professional tennis for 5 years. He was able to get up to 120th in the world in doubles, and represented Romania in the Davis Cup. Andrei also competed in the US Open in 2015.

In 2017, Andrei discovered Pickleball while at the BallenIsles Country Club, and he’s been playing in tournaments ever since. He was a 2023 MLP Atlanta Champion and a silver medalist in the Mesa Open in 2024.

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Follow Andrei on Instagram

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Lea Jansen

Known for her competitive nature and fiery on-court persona, Lea Jansen is one of the most exciting up and coming prospects in professional pickleball. Lea is native to Spokane, Washington and started playing tennis when she was 8 years old. One of the top ranked players in the Pacific Northwest, she went on to play at the collegiate level at Washington State University.

In the summer of 2019, Jansen’s long-time childhood friend, Tyson McGuffin, persuaded Lea to begin playing pickleball. She began touring full-time in 2021, and since then Jansen has relocated to Austin, Texas to practice with other pickleball pros. Her dedication to the sport has helped her earn two PPA Gold Medals.

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Follow Lea on Instagram

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