Bos, Julia (2023)

Julia Bos is a 2013 graduate of Grand Rapids Christian High School who excelled in Cross Country and Track.  She was a true scholar-athlete, earning eight varsity letters while maintaining a 3.86 GPA in the classroom.

Julia began running in 6th grade and burst onto the high school cross country scene in 2009, finishing 18th at the Division II state meet with a time of 19:15.  Her freshman year the Eagle Cross Country Team finished 3rd in the state.  In her sophomore year, she took fourth place at the State Finals and cut her time to 17:48. She also led the Eagles to a 2010 Division II State Championship.   

Julia continued her success the next two years.  As a junior, she finished first in the elite Spartan Invitational.  In the State XC meet she beat out two previous MHSAA champions to claim her first individual state title with a time of 17:24, helping the GRCH team finish 5th in the state.   Julia was undefeated during her entire senior year, including another first-place victory at the MSU Spartan Invitational and a first-place finish at the prestigious Portage Invitational. She defended her State Championship title with a time of 17:20, while leading the Eagles to 3rd place finish as a team. 

Julia was a vital member of the GRCH Cross Country team for four years and was the team MVP each year.  She still holds the GRCH school record for the XC 5K (17:13), and various course records for 5K races.  She was named to the All-Conference, All-Region, and All-State teams each of her four years as an Eagle.  She was an All-American her junior year, placing 10th in the country at the Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego.  She was also honored as one of the nation’s best high school athletes (for outstanding athletic excellence, academic achievement, and exemplary character), and named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Cross Country in 2012.   

Julia credits much of her success to her coach, Doug Jager.  “He knew just what I needed to do to succeed,” she said.   “She was an extremely hard runner,” said Jager.  “It was hard for me to get her to have an easy day even when cross training, which was frequent."  Their strategies worked, and Julia fondly remembers Coach Jager beaming at her and congratulating her after each well-run race.     

In the spring Julia ran Track (also for Coach Jager).  She excelled at the 3200-meter run, but also ran the 1600 and was on the 4x800 relay team.  She was selected to the All-Conference team in 2010, 2011 and 2012, and to the All-Region team in 2010 and 2012.  She was named to the All-State Team as a junior, finishing 2nd in the 3200. She was injured much of her senior track season, and according to Coach Jager, would have likely won the 3200 in 2013.

Battling through several stress fractures, Julia continued to run in college.  She ran her freshman year at Hillsdale College and competed at the NCAA D2 Cross Country Nationals.  She then transferred to Dordt University where she competed at the NAIA Nationals her senior year.  

Julia received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology in 2017 from Hillsdale College and in 2022 earned her Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Illinois.  She is currently a Board-Certified Physician Assistant at River City Rheumatology in Grand Rapids.

Throughout her running career, Julia knew where her strength came from.  “I ultimately owe any success I had to God, my creator and sustainer.”

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!  Galatians 2:20-21