Saints’ James a shot-putter and violinist

Alex James has tossed the shot put more than 51 feet. Glancing at powerfully-built Alex James, people guess the St. Christopher's senior plays football.

He doesn't.

Folks might never suspect he's an accomplished violinist and chess-team president.

He is.

So much for judging a book by the cover.

"I know I surprise people," the 6-3 240-pounder said.

James does play up to his hulking appearance in one regard: He's the most explosive private-schools shot putter in Virginia.

The Saints' captain won Prep League (51-1) and Virginia Independent Schools (51-6½) titles last spring. He opened the indoor season with a 50-2 winning effort against Collegiate, Benedictine and Norfolk Academy.

"Alex has always been big and strong. Now, his technique is getting better and better," St. Christopher's coach Marshall Ware said, deflecting credit to assistant Frank Kiefer.

No football? There's not much gridiron talk at the Midlothian home of Dr. Joseph (from Antigua) and Phyllis (Guyana) James.

"Rarely does a day go by when no one asks me about football," said James, who moved to Virginia from Connecticut in first grade. "But my parents won't let me because they're afraid I'll get hurt. I do what they say. They pay the tuition."

Younger brother, Douglass, a freshman as tall as Alex but not as broad, plays soccer and basketball and is a track sprinter.

Actually, Alex -- who has run 40 yards in 4.7 seconds -- was all about hoops and soccer until a couple of spinouts.

"I got cut from ninth-grade basketball," he said. "That's when I joined the track team."

James' soccer pursuits ended with a knee injury that required surgery.

Maestro: James has taken violin lessons from Randy Allen for 12 years. He performs at area functions, as well as with the St. Christopher's orchestra.

"I'm pretty advanced . . . my long fingers help," James says with a laugh.

An honor-roll student with a 3.6 grade-point average, James recently was named president of the St. Christopher's chess club.

"It's a lot of fun," he said. "We even play the teachers."

He's applying to Virginia, Virginia Tech, James Madison, William and Mary and Lehigh, with hopes of continuing to compete in the shot put.

Fast forward: James was only tossing in the ho-hum 45-46 range this time a year ago. Last spring, he found his groove and began to dominate.

"I started working more on my technique -- the glide. And I began doing some different exercises and practicing weekends," he said.

His indoor goal is St. Christopher's record of 54-8, set in 1983 by Rod McGeorge. Then, he plans to chase more records this spring and get serious about the discus.

Who knows, he may defy all odds and run 3,200 meters.

With James, expect the unexpected.