We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alexander Heredia. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alexander below.
Hi Alexander, great to have you with us today and excited to have you share your wisdom with our readers. Over the years, after speaking with countless do-ers, makers, builders, entrepreneurs, artists and more we’ve noticed that the ability to take risks is central to almost all stories of triumph and so we’re really interested in hearing about your journey with risk and how you developed your risk-taking ability.
I started playing pickleball in July of 2022, and from the moment I picked up a paddle, I was completely hooked. What began as a casual hobby quickly turned into a daily routine, I was out on the courts every single day, pushing myself to improve, compete, and connect with others in the community.
After gaining confidence in my skills, I began entering tournaments. Every competition taught me valuable lessons, not just about pickleball, but about patience, growth, and perseverance. I wanted to challenge myself against the best players out there and see how far I could go.
Unfortunately, after a year of playing competitively, I started feeling pain in my knees. Following an MRI, my doctor told me I had significant cartilage loss and advised that I stop playing. I’ve played competitive sports most of my life and have had one knee surgery before, so hearing that news was tough. These days, I need cortisone shots every few months just to manage the pain.
As hard as that was to accept, my wife Mikelle saw how much pickleball meant to me, not just the game itself, but the friendships and sense of community that came with it. She encouraged me to stay involved in a different way, suggesting that I start organizing tournaments so I could still be part of the pickleball world I love so much.
2025, that’s when A-Train Tournaments was born. What started as a simple idea has grown into something much bigger, a community movement. From creating a logo and social media pages, to filming our first intro video, to hosting free tournaments to show people what we’re about, everything came together quickly and organically.
The support from local cities, pickleball clubs, and players across the Central Valley has been amazing. We now host monthly events with consistency, offer medals, prizes, and our exclusive RAILPASS (a free entry to any future A-Train event), and collaborate with other tournament directors to support each other’s growth. We’ve even had the honor of sponsoring and supporting our local college pickleball team and donating back to other events and fundraisers.
As for how I developed my ability to take risks, I truly believe it comes down to family, and community. My wife, my son, and our new baby girl on the way in March 2026 are my biggest motivation. They inspire me to keep moving forward, to stay creative, and to keep pushing boundaries, even when things get tough.
I’ve learned that taking risks isn’t just about courage, it’s about purpose. I take risks because I want to create something meaningful for my family and for the pickleball community that has given me so much joy. Every event, every smile, every connection on and off the court reminds me that it’s all worth it.
And none of this would be possible without the people who have supported A-Train from the very beginning, my family, our volunteers, and our incredible followers and players who show up, play hard, and make every event special. They are the true fuel behind this Train.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Thank you so much for the opportunity to share my story. My name is Alexander “A-Train” Heredia, and I’m the Founder and Director of A-Train Tournaments, a growing pickleball tournament organization based in California’s Central Valley. What started as a simple love for the game has grown into something much bigger, a community movement built around competition, connection, and family.
A-Train Tournaments was born from my passion for pickleball and the amazing people it brings together. After being sidelined by knee injuries, I knew I couldn’t completely walk away from the sport that had given me so much joy. My wife encouraged me to stay involved in a way that would still bring people together, that’s when I decided to take my energy and experience from the court and put it into organizing tournaments that are fun, fair, and family-oriented.
What makes A-Train special is the experience we create. We don’t just run tournaments, we build environments where players feel valued, spectators feel welcome, and families can come together to enjoy great pickleball. Every event is designed to celebrate the community, from our themed DUPR Nights to our Generations Express Tournament that pairs kids with adults. We take pride in offering great prizes, unique medals, and our signature “RAILPASS,” which gives players a free entry to a future event.
Professionally, my focus is on continuing to grow A-Train Tournaments across the Central Valley and beyond. We’re collaborating with local clubs, schools, and even college teams to expand the reach of the sport and make pickleball more accessible for everyone. I’m also really excited about our upcoming events in 2026, including new collaborations, youth-focused programs, and sponsorship opportunities that will help us keep giving back to the communities that support us.
At the end of the day, A-Train Tournaments isn’t just about pickleball, it’s about people. It’s about bringing players of all levels together to compete, laugh, and create memories that last far beyond the court. That’s what drives me every single day.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, I think the three biggest qualities that have impacted my journey with A-Train Tournaments are perseverance, community connection, and adaptability.
Perseverance has been a constant theme in my life, from dealing with injuries to starting something completely new from the ground up. When I was told to stop playing pickleball because of my knees, it was tough. But I refused to let that be the end of my story. Instead, I shifted gears and found a new way to stay involved with the sport I love. My advice to anyone starting out is: Don’t let setbacks define you. Sometimes, they’re actually the push you need to find your next big purpose.
Community connection is another quality that’s been at the heart of everything I do. Pickleball is a sport built on relationships, players, volunteers, families, and local supporters all make it what it is. I learned early on that building genuine connections and showing appreciation to those around you will take you further than any amount of self-promotion. For those early in their journey, my advice is simple: Be present, be kind, and give back. When you focus on others’ success as much as your own, your community will always rally behind you.
Finally, adaptability has been key. Every event, every tournament, and every challenge brings something new, weather issues, scheduling changes, unexpected curveballs. Learning how to stay calm, adjust quickly, and keep things positive is a skill that only comes with experience and humility. For anyone starting out, don’t be afraid to pivot when things don’t go as planned. Adaptability isn’t about changing who you are, it’s about staying true to your vision while finding new ways to make it work.
Those three traits, perseverance, community, and adaptability, have shaped not just A-Train Tournaments, but who I am as a person. They remind me every day why I started this journey in the first place: to bring people together through something I love and to keep the train moving forward, no matter the obstacles.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
Without question, the person who has been most instrumental in helping me overcome challenges and develop into who I am today is my wife, Mikelle. She’s been my biggest supporter, my voice of reason, and honestly, the one who helped turn a tough situation into something amazing.
When I first found out I couldn’t play pickleball anymore because of my knee injuries, I was devastated. Pickleball had become such a big part of my life, it was my outlet, my passion, and my connection to so many great people. I remember coming home from that doctor’s appointment feeling lost, and it was Mikelle who looked at me and said, “Why don’t you start your own tournaments? You love this sport, and you love bringing people together.” That one idea changed everything.
She’s the reason A-Train Tournaments exists. She saw something in me that I didn’t even see in myself at the time, the ability to lead, organize, and inspire others. Mikelle’s encouragement gave me the confidence to take a risk, to learn, and to keep pushing forward even when things got tough. She’s also been right there beside me at every event, helping with the front desk, keeping things organized, and keeping me grounded when the chaos of running tournaments kicks in.
Her belief in me has shaped everything, from the way I approach challenges to how I try to support others in their own journeys. I tell people all the time that A-Train Tournaments isn’t just my project; it’s our project. None of this would have happened without her constant love, patience, and belief in the vision.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_train_tournaments/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/a.train.tournaments/
Image Credits
Emiliano Mendez
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