By Gil Pound 

S oon-to-be double Bobcat A.J. James (’24) always seems to be around the basketball court, even after his playing days on the team. 

The former Georgia College & State University men’s basketball player has remained close to the sport he loves through the Master of Science in Health and Human Performance program. The graduate program has given James hands-on experience as strength and conditioning coach for Georgia College basketball, sculpting bigger, faster, stronger Bobcats. 

“I love taking someone from the starting line to the finish line, seeing the results and all the work in between,” said James. 

Cut from Granite 

James attended high school in Elberton, Georgia, known as “The Granite Capital of the World.” The hybrid guard-forward’s play on the basketball court captured the attention of several colleges before he ultimately chose GCSU as his home. 

“Georgia College was the best fit for me,” James said. “I fell in love with the people and the facility when I visited. I also knew GCSU was going to challenge me academically, which is something I wanted.” 

James was accepted into Georgia College’s Bridge Scholars Program, a five-week summer transitional experience for select students entering their first year. The coronavirus pandemic struck the following spring, and James admittedly struggled when classes went virtual to slow the spread of COVID-19. He was ruled academically ineligible to play basketball in fall 2021, but used that as an opportunity to consider life beyond the sport. James dipped his toe into the strength and conditioning world, training both himself and a teammate. He figured out his purpose and his grades bounced back, landing him on the Dean’s List for College of Health Sciences in spring of 2022. 

“The whole exercise science program was very hands-on,” said James. “When I got into the core classes – things like corrective movement and structural kinesiology – I was stretching people and learning how to palpate muscles." 

Fall of senior year James decided he would go for his master’s after finishing his undergraduate degree in exercise science. His mentor and interim director of the Georgia College School of Health and Human Performance, Dr. Mike Martino, served as a guide. Martino offered James the opportunity to oversee strength and conditioning for Bobcat basketball as a graduate assistant. 

“From early on, A.J. stood out as an explosive athlete with a genuine curiosity for sports performance and strength and conditioning,” Martino said. “That curiosity translated into thoughtful, probing questions both in the classroom and in the Bobcat Sports Performance Center, reflecting a developing understanding of the ‘why’ behind training.” 

James was on the master’s track with a concentration in coaching and athletic performance, learning both the physical and psychological aspects of strength and conditioning. He says finding an athlete’s motivation is the “cheat code” to helping them unlock the best version of themselves. The payoffs aren’t just physical, but mental as well. 

“You can talk about improved metrics like increased vertical leap or faster sprint times, but it’s more about watching the guys’ confidence grow,” James said. “They show up as shy freshmen and become the men they’re supposed to be – shooting shots they wouldn’t normally take and showing more physicality on the floor.” 

Georgia College men’s basketball reaped the rewards this past season when the team posted winning records overall and in conference play for the first time since 2022. 

“Our players look up to A.J. and learn from him every day,” GCSU men’s basketball coach Ryan Aquino said. “He has become comfortable serving as an example of what hard work can bring to our team. That has been the best help he has given our program, in addition to all the knowledge in lifting weights, conditioning and nutrition.” 

Nearing the completion of his master’s degree, James is thinking about the job market. If an opportunity presents itself, he says he would like to be strength and conditioning coordinator for a Division II athletic program. 

“I would love to do the exact same thing I’m currently doing,” said James. “I played D2, so I would be working with guys like me.” 

“A.J.’s experience as a Division II athlete gave him a valuable perspective on performance demands, which he has effectively applied over the past two years,” Martino said. “Based on his work ethic, engagement and growth, it will be rewarding to watch him pursue his goals with the same commitment he demonstrated on and off the court during his time at GCSU.”

Header Images: James oversees an offseason workout. (Photos: Anna Gay Leavitt)