Grand Rapids Christian High School has never been blessed with an athlete quite like Julia Bos. The Junior standout has been nothing short of amazing during her 3 years of high school. Already an All-State selection three times and now a State Champion, Bos still has one more year to go, and is not satisfied. Not only has Julia represented the Eagles in unprecedented fashion with her athletic prowess, she also continues to pull her weight in the classroom despite traveling across the country to compete in national races.
A regular season in which Bos failed to finish first in just one race, culminated in a Division II individual state championship. After knocking off two defending state champions to claim the crown, Julia decided that that was not enough. To put it in her own words, she believed that God had given her the abilities to strive for more, to be the best. Julia decided to take her talents to the national level, competing against the best runners in America, on the biggest stage.
After last weekend, Julia and her family as well as the whole Grand Rapids Christian community, can confidently say that one of the best athletes in the nation is in our midst.
After a top ten finish in the Regional Footlocker Championship, Bos was invited to compete in the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships at San Diego’s Balboa Park last Saturday. The biggest stage, for the best athletes. A yearly event that is covered by the likes of ESPN and featured the top Cross Country athletes from each region.
As usual, Julia did not disappoint.
After facing adversity early in the race, falling twice due to conditions and a crowded track, Bos rose up and conquered the competition once again. Recovering from her two falls, Bos brilliantly moved up the pack and found herself exactly where she had hoped to be when the race came into the final stretch.
“You’ve got to recover mentally and get your drive back,” Bos said. “You can get lost. It was a blow because like eight runners passed me.”
Julia finished with a time of 17:40, just off her personal best time of 17:14 which she posted at the Regional Footlocker Championship two weeks ago at Wayne E. Dannehl Cross Country Course in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Her time was good enough to place 10th in a field made up of the top 40 runners in the nation. View the race results HERE.
In finishing 10th, Julia successfully finished under the threshold for All-American status. The top 15 runners were awarded the prestigious title, and Grand Rapids Christian is very proud to call one of them our own!
It is believed that Julia is the first Grand Rapids area athlete to ever achieve this award, for this, we are very proud. I speak for many when I say this, Julia, we are proud of you. Not only for your amazing athletic achievements which continue to cement your name in the Grand Rapids Christian High School record books, but also for your faith and the conduct you so genuinely exhibit at every event. Your sportsmanship, dedication, and God-fearing mentality are seen by all who have watched you not only this year but also as you have grown into the young woman you are today.
So here’s to Julia Bos, Grand Rapids Christian’s first ever All American. A State Champion. An amazing compilation of hard work, sweat, and sometimes tears. Through all the set-backs and injuries, Julia pressed on, working harder than ever before to achieve her goals.
I think we all can learn something from Julia. No matter if its in your everyday job, family life, athletics, or whatever problems you face, adversity is placed in our lives by God, to make us better, it is how you respond to that adversity that defines who you are. Julia has proved in this season especially that the manner in which you handle adversity will have a great deal of impact on achieving your goals.
Adversity is inevitable. Julia faced it head on, and conquered it.
How will you respond?
Go Eagles!
