Welcome to the gym that KOs crime
A magistrate discharged Jason to his boxing coach instead of sending him to jail. It changed his life and his community for good…
By the age of 13 Jason was a regular in the local court, charged with stealing cars, breaking into homes and assaulting people.
“Our little gang was doing all the dumb stuff in town,” he recalls.
The threat of jail never deterred him, but when a local boxing coach encouraged him into the ring Jason found another way to live, and boxing became the only consistent positive in his life.
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“This bloke saw something in me that I didn’t know, or see. That kind of saved me,” he said.
The next time he faced court the judge released him under the supervision of his coach rather than sending him to prison.
Jason took this second chance with both hands. The consistency of boxing and the belief of mentors who supported him put him on a better path.
Today, Jason is the founder of the Arrernte Community Boxing Academy, a sanctuary for young people in Alice Springs and beyond. In his gym young people find discipline, self-control, and ambition, one round at a time.
“Our gym welcomes people from all walks of life, providing a safe haven where care, culture, and community are at the heart of everything we do,” he said.
“A lot of what we do is done by love. Love and compassion help rebuild lives and give young people the sense of purpose they need to thrive.”
Through Jason’s story, we see how a community can come together to offer not just consequences, but opportunities for growth and change.
The coach saw something in me that I didn’t know, or see. That kind of saved me
Jason, Arrernte Community Boxing Academy Founder
Arnold and Iggy are two boys from Alice Springs whose lives have been transformed by that love and compassion.
Arnold, known as Bomber in the ring, used to harbor anger and frustration in himself, often getting into fights. But through boxing, he found a sense of purpose and direction. “Without boxing I don’t know what I’d be doing,” he said.
Iggy was often wagging school and running amock in town before boxing. It’s more than a sport for him – it became a lifeline, a path away from the mistakes of his past.
The gym isn’t just a place to train; it’s a place of healing, where troubled youth find refuge and direction, breaking the cycle of crime and incarceration.
Love and compassion help rebuild lives and give young people the sense of purpose they need to thrive.
Jason, Arrernte Community Boxing Academy Founder
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