Hi, I'm CJ
I've been in your shoes. When I found pickleball in 2013, real instruction was hard to come by. Mostly it was a player or two who'd been at it a little longer than everyone else, handing out free advice at the courts. Not all of it was good.
Then I got golfer's elbow, after more than twenty years as a golf professional with never once had it before. That got my attention. I looked into what was actually being taught, and realized most people teaching pickleball were players, not coaches. Those are two very different things. So I set out to study the game the way I'd study anything else worth doing well: patterns, positioning, how points are actually won and lost.
What became clear pretty fast is that pickleball players don't need more tips. They need the big picture, so they can stop guessing and start trusting themselves out there. That's what Better Pickleball is built to give you: a complete coaching system for the strategic player, built around the Three Pillars of Pickleball: Mechanics, Strategy, and Athleticism.
Here's how I help:
- The Pickleball System – One-of-a-kind step-by-step coaching program
- The Academy – A self-paced video training library and monthly Strategy Clinics
- In-Person Camps – Small-group, hands-on coaching held at locations throughout the year
- Curated Weekly Tips – Drills, strategy, and mindset coaching straight to your inbox
- Free Content – YouTube videos, blog posts, playing tips, and a free beginner's guide
Coaching Tools to Help You Play Better Pickleball
Meet Your Head Coach CJ Johnson
"My commitment is to see students not as they are, but as what they can become."
For more than 30 years, I've helped people build skills, confidence, and a deeper understanding of the sports they love. Today, my passion is helping pickleball players improve their game in a way that feels encouraging, practical, and achievable.
Whether you're looking to gain confidence on the court, understand strategy at a deeper level, improve consistency, or simply enjoy the game more, my goal is to help you make meaningful progress while having fun along the way.
My coaching background includes more than three decades of experience as a PGA Golf Professional, PSIA Ski Instructor, and ISSA Personal Trainer. Those experiences helped shape the coaching philosophy I bring every day to Better Pickleball.
If you're ready to become a more confident player and enjoy pickleball in a whole new way, I'd love to welcome you to camp.
Personalize Your Path To Pickleball Success
Forget the rag-tag unstructured approach to improvement that wastes both time and money. Take this FREE quiz, and let us help you get to the next step in your pickleball journey.