Alan Cleland Jr. still feels the rush of his first wave — the way the warm water swarmed his body after his father’s push into the whitewash that he rode to the sandy shore.
It was like nothing the young boy had ever felt. And all these years later, Cleland struggles putting it into words. Maybe it was the way his father, a former pro surfer, smiled. Maybe it was the way the young Cleland connected to the ocean. Maybe it was the energy of Mother Nature. Or, maybe, it was the way they all came together in this perfect moment.
“It was a really special moment in time,” the 22-year-old says today. “It’s the same sensation that I’ve been chasing my whole life.”
Cleland grasped that feeling and spent his years growing up in Boca de Pascuales chasing it again. You’re forgiven if you’ve never heard of the small town off Mexico’s Pacific coast. Not many have. It’s a tiny fishing village with a population — growing up, Cleland says, around 50 — that has sprouted into about 115 full-time residents in recent years.
Cleland Jr.'s small-town roots have grounded him. [WSL/Tony Neff photos]
What it lacks in population it makes up for in blue waters and gnarly waves that can test the best surfers. Once an unknown surfing paradise now draws thousands of swimmers every spring and summer.
It’s here where the young Cleland learned to ride the swift current and heavy swells where he will one day carry Mexican surfing to the world stage.
It’s a Tuesday and Cleland finds himself in Punta Roca, El Salvador, staring at the most perfect waves peeling from the top of the point all the way to shore. He loves it here: the waves, the people, the food, the everything. He’s almost finished with a day of press conferences and nagging questions, save for a final 20-minute interview with a reporter who’s curious about how that young boy from Mexico has grown into one of the sport’s premier surfers.
To his credit, Cleland answers each question with ease, spoken so confidently it’s difficult to distinguish if he’s purposefully speaking in clichés to speed through the questions or if he truly means his words.
Like, what are his goals…
“I’m trying to be better every day and just enjoy the journey and see what happens,” he says. “It’s always a good time when you’re surfing good waves in the warm water.”
Or, when he offers…
“When you have the determination and fire to do it, you know, you can go a long way.”
And then…
“Stay in line, stay disciplined, and just believe in yourself, not giving up on your dreams is kinda what gives me that fire.”
It’s easy to forget that Cleland comes from that small surfing town, where life moves more slowly, days are spent in the water, and the hustle and bustle of city life is nearly non-existent.
To his credit — cliché or not — Cleland lives his words.
Take his determination and fire. Cleland gets it from his father — his namesake and fellow professional surfer — who Cleland calls his idol. The elder taught his son about respect: respect the ocean, respect Mother Nature, and — most important — respect yourself.
“My dad is a strong-headed person,” Cleland says, “and showed me how to be a strong-headed guy and have a mentality of a killer.”
Beyond the life lessons, the older Cleland taught his son how to navigate the rough-and-tumble waves with strength and confidence, not to be fearful or concern himself with failure.
Success came fast. He won his first competition at age 8, his second at age 11. Then he joined the World Surf League Junior Tour, regularly placing in the top 10 and even winning an event in 2022. The next thing he’s trying to qualify for: the professional tour.
“You’re only gonna have one opportunity,” he says, “so why not go all out and take advantage of it and be happy with what you get.”
Turns out all those years riding gnarly waves paid off.
Growing up, Cleland admits, he wasn’t the best surfer in Boca de Pascuales. He watched friends shred waves with more skill and confidence. But as he got older, developing his own skills, he watched those same friends step down what he calls a “bad path.” What he means, exactly — alcohol, drugs, death? — he won’t get into specifics.
“Everybody knows what that means,” he offers. “I don’t really have to say what they are. But, yeah, it’s pretty easy, you know, when you’re in the middle of nowhere — it’s pretty easy to get sucked into stuff that you’re not supposed to.”
He quickly turns the conversation.
“I always had my head pretty locked in between my shoulders and, you know, I’ve always wanted to be a pro surfer. And that’s why, you know, I had friends that were better surfers than me. But at the end of the day, it’s the discipline that gets you where you wanna be.”
His discipline carried him to the 2024 Olympics, becoming the first surfer to represent the green, white and red flag of Mexico on the world’s biggest stage.
But for all his successes, there was a time he thought he was going to have to shelve his board for a full-time job — an idea that, frankly, haunted him.
Sometimes the best breaks come onshore. [WSL/Emma Sharon/Pat Nolan photos]
Cleland missed qualifying for the WSL’s Championship Tour by one spot and he felt his whole life was spiraling down a wormhole. Surfing was all he knew. If not riding waves, then what?
And then — a surprise.
A three-time world champion on tour, John John Florence, announced he was stepping away to spend more time with his wife and newborn son. Cleland wouldn’t have to shelve his board after all.
He’s now traveling the world showcasing the Mexican flag, proving that people from his homeland can compete with the world’s best.
He’s out to prove to all the kids back home that you can not only chase your dreams, but you can make them come true.
“There’s always gonna be people telling you what you need to do and what you have to do,” he says. “Don’t listen to anybody. Just listen to your heart.”
Yeah, sure — it’s a tad cliché. But he’s living proof.
In three events this year, he ranks 24th on tour with a top-10 finish in Hawaii back in early February.
As for his own goals? He wants to catch good waves, win a couple of events, make the cut, represent Mexico.
But more important…
“I’m always grateful to wake up and see what life gives you, to be here representing my flag, my country, my family, my friends,” he says. “It’s a unique feeling, and I can’t wait to take advantage and go all out.”
