Check Out Charlie White’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlie White.

Hi Charlie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always been drawn to competitive sports and creative problem-solving. After competing as a Division soccer player in college, I began a new athletic journey in beach handball which ultimately led me to compete with Team USA. That experience shaped how I approach everything… the discipline, teamwork, and a constant drive to improve.

After retiring from international competition, I was looking for a way to stay active and connected to a strong community, and that’s when I found pickleball. What started as a fun way to compete again quickly turned into a passion. I love the energy of pickleball events, the people, and watching the sport grow, especially here in Orange County.

Alongside athletics, I’ve built a career as a UX designer and currently work full time at Blizzard Entertainment on the game development teams, where I focus on creating world-class player experiences. Today, I’m grateful to blend my background in elite sports, design, and community building as a pickleball ambassador, staying active and giving back to a sport that’s given me so much.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not a completely smooth road and that’s been part of what makes it meaningful. Balancing a full-time job with training, travel, and events has been a constant challenge. It’s required a lot of time management and being intentional about where I put my energy.

On the athletic side, starting pickleball meant going back to ground zero. I didn’t come from a racquet-sport background, so there was a real learning curve: learning technique, strategy, and adapting my body to a different style of movement. Add in getting older and no longer having the structure of elite international competition, and there were moments of doubt about how hard to push and what “success” should look like.

But those challenges helped me reframe my relationship with sport. Pickleball gave me a new passion, a new community, and a way to stay competitive while also enjoying the process. It’s been less about chasing medals and more about growth, balance, and finding joy in something new.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work as a UX designer at Blizzard Entertainment, specializing in player-focused design and building intuitive experiences within complex systems. I’m known for approaching design with both creativity and structure, always centered on how people actually play and engage. I’m fortunate to have worked on some of the most successful games ever made in their genre.

What sets me apart is my background as a former elite athlete. That experience gives me a unique perspective on competition, performance, and iteration… whether I’m designing games or showing up on the court. I’m most proud of being able to blend my passion for design and sports while staying connected to an active, fast-growing community like pickleball.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up in a military family meant moving often, spending time on different bases, and being exposed to a wide range of sports early on. I played anything I could get my hands on, which helped shape a competitive but adaptable mindset. Having an identical twin brother made it even better. We moved through life together, competed together, and eventually even played on the same college team, which is something I’ll always be grateful for.

Alongside sports, I was always drawn to art and computer games, curious about creativity and how experiences were built. As an adult, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to travel the world and compete at a high level, living out many of the dreams I had as a kid. In a lot of ways, my life today feels like a continuation of those early passions, just on a bigger stage.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlie_white/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577974434819