La Conner martial arts teacher makes grade with latest black belt promotion

A U.S. military veteran, John Alcorn knows the importance of a promotion.

He does so as a martial arts practitioner and instructor as well.

Alcorn, who teaches Taekwondo at USTA Martial Arts in La Conner, was recognized last month for having advanced from second to third Dan (or Degree) Black Belt, a level that requires years of practice at what is universally considered a challenging and physically demanding discipline.

But for Alcorn and his students, who range in age from children to adults, the rewards of Taekwondo – from increased stamina and improved muscle toning to greater confidence and powers of concentration – more than justify the time investment required to master a Korean martial art noted for its intricate punching and kicking techniques.

Alcorn, who grew up in rural Minnesota and is of Cherokee descent, is on his second tour with Taekwondo.

"We had all our sports," he recalled of teen years spent northwest of the Twin Cities, "but I wanted to do something different."

As a youth, a sign for a Taekwondo class caught his eye. He thought he'd give it a try.As it turned out, the instructor was his middle school choir teacher.

It was a very promising start.

But Alcorn's sports career was put on hold by a serious knee injury at age 17.

"I tore my ACL (anterior cruciate ligament)," he told the Weekly News. "It took about 15 months to recover back then. Now it takes around six to nine months."

Alcorn put Taekwondo in his rear-view mirror when deployed for service overseas. He had returned to civilian life and was working a well-paying warehouse job in Snohomish County when by chance he was re-introduced to the sport.

"What brought me back to Taekwondo," he explained, "was when my daughter, Makena and I were doing laundry one night and our dryer went out. We had to go to a laundromat in Arlington. But when we got there, the lady said they had taken their last loads. So, we had to go to a laundromat in Smoky Point.

"While there," Alcorn continued, "Makena could hear loud noises next door. She went outside and pressed her face against the window to see what was happening in there."

It was a Taekwondo class.

"The instructor asked her if she wanted to try it," said Alcorn.

She did and ultimately the door opened for Alcorn to re-enter the world of Taekwondo.

"When Makena was at the class, I would help with her technique," Alcorn said. "Then the instructor asked me if I had any experience with Taekwondo and I said that I did. He asked me if I wanted to try it again."

Alcorn was initially hesitant. Over the years he had undergone surgeries and sustained injuries while in the military. He was worried about his flexibility.

But that instructor, K.J. Newell, "got me going," said Alcorn.

Newell also suggested that Alcorn train to be an instructor and encouraged him to open a USTA gym of his own. They scouted throughout the region, eventually settling on La Conner.

"We kept coming back to La Conner as a venue," Alcorn said. "We'd look at a place and would end up saying, 'let's go back to La Conner.' La Conner kept calling us back. The community has totally embraced us."

Alcorn has taught classes here for three years now, often spending 12-14 hours a day at the remodeled studio behind The Slider Café.

Alcorn's approach is to teach the whole person, instructing not only Taekwondo skills but also other areas of self-improvement. With children, he emphasizes daily reading, good behavior at home and school, willingness to take on household chores and attention to homework and other scholastic assignments.

"Every day," he said, "the goal is to make each child a better person."

He tells students that he pays back his debts and obligations with money while they can do so by showing respect. Especially to elders.

"The elders in our community show their love," said Alcorn. "The younger generation needs to step up with that opportunity."

During his time in La Conner, Alcorn has built a rapport with Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Senate Chair Steve Edwards. As a result, the La Conner martial arts program was invited to participate in a recent Swinomish talent show.

"Our kids finished first and second," Alcorn recounts with pride.

Another testament to USTA La Conner's success is its Black Belt Wall of Fame, which boasts 22 members – and counting.

"I want that whole wall filled with black belts," Alcorn said.

Alcorn continues to live in the Arlington area, commuting to La Conner for class sessions and Taekwondo-related events. But it isn't so much his vehicle as it is his students that are the driving force, he said.

"I have a great love of the sport and a love of the kids," said Alcorn. "The kids are what drive me every day."