Long before padel courts began appearing in cities across America, before sold-out leagues and record-breaking tournament calendars, there was Mike May. As part of National Padel Month, USA Padel has named May one of its 2026 USA Padel Service Award winners, recognizing the man who served as one of the first presidents of the national governing body, May served from 1998 to 2018 and helped plant the roots of a sport that is now booming nationwide.

The honor comes as part of the inaugural USA Padel Awards, a new tradition created to celebrate the players, coaches, clubs, and advocates who have driven the growth of American padel. Few people embody that mission as fully as May.

A Pioneer When Padel Was Unknown

May’s padel story began in 1993, when he was recruited to the first-ever U.S. Men’s Padel Team. Alongside teammates Scott Read, Matt Berry, Brian Poynter, Ross Persons, and Peter Farrel, May served as team captain, helping introduce the United States to international padel competition at a time when most Americans had never heard of the sport.

Shortly afterward, he became the first certified padel professional in U.S. history, a distinction that made him both a player and a teacher of a game that had almost no footprint in the country.

Two Decades at the Helm

In 1998, May became president of the American Paddle Association, renamed in the 2000s to the United States Padel Association, now known as USA Padel. Over the next two decades, he worked to establish the organization as the sport’s national governing body, building the structures, relationships, and credibility that today’s growth rests upon.

Remarkably, May led the association while continuing to compete at the highest level. He represented the United States at 13 Padel World Championships from 1994 through 2018, carrying the American flag onto the international stage for more than two decades.

“Everything we celebrate during National Padel Month stands on the foundation Mike built,” said Bill Ullman, President of USA Padel. “For twenty years he led this association when padel in America was a handful of courts and a lot of belief. He did the hard, unglamorous work of building a national governing body, and he did it while still representing our country on the court. On behalf of USA Padel, I want to thank Mike for his vision, his patience, and his service. This award is long overdue.”

Building the First Courts in America

Away from the association, May’s influence extended into club leadership. As the longtime Director of Racquet Sports at the Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa in Houston, he oversaw the installation of the first padel courts in the country, giving Americans one of their earliest opportunities to experience the game firsthand.

That early investment in Houston helped make Texas a padel stronghold. Peers have credited May’s vision in the early 1990s with paving the way for the sport’s expansion and with helping Texas become a national leader in courts and tournaments hosted.

Still Growing the Game

May’s commitment to padel did not end with his presidency. Today he continues to grow the sport through iPadel Houston, a padel facility he opened with his wife, Belén Salcedo, herself a top-ranked player. Their goal is simple: keep padel accessible to the general public, not just private club members.

His lasting contributions were also recognized earlier this year, when the Racket Sports Professionals Association (RSPA) Texas Division, formerly the USPTA, presented May with its Service Industry Excellence Award, an honor reserved for those who show exceptional leadership, innovation, and commitment to the industry.

“Mike is the reason so many of us have a padel career at all,” said Scott Colebourne, CEO of USA Padel. “When you look at the courts going up across the country, the clubs, the coaches, the juniors representing the USA abroad, you are looking at a path Mike cleared decades ago. He has never stopped giving back, from the national governing body to iPadel Houston. We are deeply grateful for everything he has done for this sport and for this association.”

A Legacy With Deep Roots

Today, USA Padel sanctions more than 300 tournaments nationwide and supports national teams across every category, from juniors to seniors. October’s National Padel Month, featuring grassroots clinics, the US Open Padel Championships, and the inaugural USA Padel Awards, celebrates how far the sport has come.

Mike May’s Service Award reminds us that padel’s American “boom” didn’t appear overnight. People built it, court by court and season by season, by believing in the game long before the rest of the country caught on. May was one of the first, and he is still on the court.