Photo courtesy of New York Black Belt Center
John Rodriguez, 46, runs the New York Black Belt Center at 104-05 Northern Blvd. He has been teaching martial arts during the coronavirus pandemic and recently won a taekwondo tournament in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
In addition to participating in the tournament, Rodriguez also participated in a seminar consisting of four to five sessions each day from March 24th to 31st. Nearly 1,200 contestants were divided into various categories based on age, and Rodriguez was one of nine contestants in the “Ultra” category for those 33 and older. Rodriguez was one of 32 members of the U.S. Amateur Athletic Association Taekwondo team participating in this tournament.
Rodriguez said he has put a lot of time and effort into training for competitions like this. He spends 4-5 days training every week, every morning he trains for 2 hours, and in the evening he trains for an additional hour and a half with his students. He also engages in special training on Saturdays. Despite putting in all this training time, Rodriguez has always made himself available to teach classes to his students.
Since becoming a black belt at age 22, Rodriguez has competed in and won numerous national and international tournaments, but this one held special meaning to him because of his connection to the venue and his students. Of the roughly 100 students Rodriguez teaches, about half are from Mexico, he said.
“Most of my students are Mexican,” Rodriguez said. “They were so happy for me and so proud of me. One of the students brought me tacos. [Tuesday night] The other person brought a small cake to celebrate. That's one way they show their appreciation. ”
Rodriguez has been practicing martial arts for 30 years, starting at the age of 16 with Joseph Lupo Sr. He eventually developed a friendship with Joseph Lupo Jr., and the two now work together as business partners, with Lupo running a new martial arts business. York Black Belt Center (216-03 Horace Harding Expwy). Rodriguez runs the Corona store in Bayside.
“This is a big deal for John and for the community,” Lupo said. “He belongs to a community centered around South America and Mexico. For him, going to those countries means a lot, both to himself and to the public he teaches. He's really solidified himself. [a member of the community]”
Rodriguez is already looking ahead to his next tournament in July. He will then look to defend his national title. In addition, he will join the US Masters team in Mexico City in November and will compete in another tournament in Mexico City. He also plans to join the Masters team for another tournament in Taipei in 2025.
“For me, Master Joe has always been a source of inspiration,” Rodriguez said. “He is not only one of my best friends but also an inspiration to me and I always want to make him proud. In May this year, he will compete in the Asia Pacific Masters Games. He went to South Korea to compete and won the gold medal. He is one of those people who leads by example. We both pride ourselves on being masters of action, not just talk.”
Lupo has operated the Bayside location since the New York Black Belt Center first opened in 2013. The Corona store was opened by Rodriguez in 2016.
“I always wanted to leave something behind in life to inspire others,” Rodriguez said. “Thanks to Master Joe, my current school has given me that opportunity.”
