Pope High School senior Josie Hutchinson is preparing to defend her title as the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) 5A Girls Individual State Champion in cross country. Last year, Hutchinson led her team to a state championship and is recognized for her consistent top finishes in races across Georgia.
“We wake up early in the morning, and we go run 3.1 miles,” Hutchinson said. “There’s a lot of dirt and mud, trails and woods, and there are roots everywhere.”
Hutchinson has accumulated five GHSA state championships—two in cross country and three in track and field events including the 4x800m relay, 3200m race, and a team title. She has finished no worse than third place in most of her varsity cross country races over the past three seasons.
“She’s the GOAT for Pope High School cross country,” said Coach Cathi Monk. “Josie goes above what is required in her preparation. Once the gun goes off, she has that little something special that allows her to perform. She’s a great competitor and an even better person.”
Athletic Director Josh Mathews added: “From the start of her freshman year, Josie demonstrated a capacity that is unlike most athletes. She has a gear inside her when racing that allows her to push her performance beyond the norm and reach unexpected levels time and again.”
Hutchinson attributes much of her drive to family influences. “I’m super competitive,” she said. “I always have been. I’ve played a ton of sports in my life, so I think that was super helpful. Being mentally tough is super important. It’s hard to run three miles back into the woods with nobody back there to cheer for you. You have to do everything you can to keep going.”
Her father Joe Hutchinson played on East Marietta’s Little League World Series-winning baseball team in 1983 before continuing his athletic career at Wheeler High School.
“Some kids have natural God-given talent,” Joe Hutchinson said about his daughter’s success. “There are certain things that you can’t really teach…as a kid, you either have it or you don’t.”
Mathews noted Josie’s family legacy within Pope athletics: “Her older sisters paved a path of hard work and high-level execution on our soccer and volleyball teams, so she saw the demands of excellence as she grew into a high school athlete.”
The Pope girls’ cross country program has won ten region titles and seven state championships during its history.
Josie began running cross country for conditioning but soon found herself among varsity runners as a freshman—even while wearing regular tennis shoes instead of spikes.
“My first race in my brand new spikes,” she recalled fondly, “I think I ran the third fastest time in school history…It was really exciting.”
Coach Monk described Josie as both an effective leader on the course and supportive teammate: “Josie is a great teammate…and someone we can always count on to be key in motivating her entire team.”
Her mother Christin highlighted Josie’s role supporting younger teammates: “One of the things I think she’s particularly good at is taking some of the younger girls under her wing; loving on them and making them feel part of the group…I’m more proud of just how she encourages other people.”
Joe Hutchinson also noted Josie’s leadership before races: “She huddles the team together before every race…She motivates them for the race and then says a prayer with everybody.”
After races, Josie often greets other finishers before beginning recovery herself—a gesture known by parents as “the ‘Josie effect.’”
Mathews praised Josie’s character: “Josie exhibits character and integrity that allows her to be a positive influence on other runners both within our program and on other teams…She is a difference maker.”
Hutchinson plans to join Samford University’s cross country team after graduation next year.
This Saturday, Hutchinson will compete alongside Pope High School’s girls’ team as they seek another set of individual and team titles at Carrollton.
