About Us
History of Mickle Pickleball Trips
For more than a decade, Mickle Pickleball Trips has welcomed players from around the world to combine their love of pickleball with meaningful travel. Our trips began in Spain and have expanded to distinctive destinations throughout Europe, always combining excellent pickleball with memorable cultural experiences.
Europe remains our specialty. Our team’s decades of experience living, working, playing, and developing pickleball across the continent give travelers access to relationships that have been built and nurtured both on and off the court. Local players and coaches welcome our groups as friends, creating opportunities to play together, share meals, and experience everyday life in a way that feels genuine and personal.
In 2027, we are bringing this same philosophy to the United States for a special trip to Newport Beach, California—Mike’s hometown. His lifelong connections to the area allow us to offer the kind of personal introductions, local experiences, and insider perspective that define our European trips. It is a natural extension of what we do best: helping travelers experience a destination through the people who call it home.
Our trips extend far beyond the pickleball court. Handpicked upscale hotels, carefully selected dining experiences, cultural highlights, and interaction with local communities transform each journey into a true immersion—where pickleball is only the beginning.
About Our Team
Mike Hess
Mike Hess first stepped onto a pickleball court in 2009 and quickly fell in love with the game. Originally from Southern California, he has spent more than 30 years living in Europe, in both Spain and Germany, developing a deep understanding of local cultures, languages, and communities.
He formally established the Spanish Pickleball Association in 2012 and went on to play a leading role in introducing, teaching, and promoting pickleball throughout Spain. He has also supported the early development of pickleball associations and playing communities in several European countries. He is a PPR Certified Pickleball Instructor and a USA Pickleball Credentialed Referee.
Before his years in Spain, Mike lived in Germany, where he played professional basketball and later worked at Adidas Global Headquarters as Global Promotions Manager. He later earned a PhD in Business and worked as a Professor of Business at CUNEF University in Madrid.
Javier Garrido
Javier Garrido, from Málaga, Spain, has been an important part of pickleball’s growth in Southern Spain and beyond. An excellent player and certified coach, he has shared his skills with players across different European countries where he has lived, competed and coached. His international perspective and firsthand experience of European pickleball give him a unique ability to connect travelers with the sport at a local level.
Javier’s energy, local roots, and connections across Europe open doors that most travelers would never find on their own—playing alongside local pickleball communities and offering our groups an authentic, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the destinations we explore.
Tajana Krncanova
Originally from Slovakia and now based in Málaga, Spain, Tajana Krncanova serves as Trip Coordinator for Mickle Pickleball Trips. Having lived in several European countries, she brings valuable international experience, cultural understanding, and a natural ability to help travelers feel comfortable wherever the journey takes them.
Tajana is also an accomplished pickleball player and certified coach. Her attention to detail, enthusiasm, and welcoming personality help keep each trip organized, personal, and enjoyable—both on and off the court.
Mickle Pickleball Trips was founded by Mike Hess, who pioneered pickleball’s introduction to Europe through Spain in 2010 and established the Spanish Pickleball Association in 2012. He also helped other European countries establish and develop their pickleball associations and federations, supporting the sport’s growth across the continent. In 2014, he launched the first organized pickleball trips to Europe.
Today, Mickle Pickleball Trips builds on that history through a team whose firsthand destination knowledge and relationships with local pickleball communities shape the travel experience. Our trips were previously offered under the names Viva Spain Pickleball Tours, Pickleball Tours Spain, and Pickleball Destinations, before adopting the Mickle Pickleball Trips name.