From Bullied Kid to World Champion – Jeff Horn

Australian Boxing Champion Jeff Horn returned to St John’s Anglican College to record a short film called Slugger exploring the themes of bullying, friendship and overcoming grief and loss.

Over the school summer break, Jeff and the team at AGE Productions utilised St John’s classrooms and grounds on the Secondary campus as the location for much of the filming of this fictional story, inspired by his earlier years. The storyline is about  a high school student who is bullied and a friend who ends up in a coma after a coward punch. Jeff is a teacher at the school and sees himself in this student so decides to teach him boxing to build his confidence and teach him how to protect himself from bullies.

Jeff attended the College for some of his practical work while training to become a teacher as well as stint as a supply teacher.

At the recent launch of the short film at St John’s Anglican College, Jeff spoke to students in Years 7-12 about his painful past and his experiences being tormented as a teenager, the catalyst for taking up boxing. The students came away with a fresh perspective on the impacts of bullying, how they can be champions of the cause and join the conversation to help address bullying.

While Jeff starred and produced Slugger, he is not committed to a change of career just yet!

Friday 19 March marks the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence.