James has coached high school baseball in the St. Louis Public High League for 40 years. He is presently head coach at Metro High School. Economon has won four Public High League championships since he began coaching at Metro in 1992.

James succeeded Ray Cliffe as the head baseball coach at Cleveland High School, winning two league championships and two district championships between 1981 and 1991. He was head baseball coach at McKinley High School in 1978 and 1979. Prior to that, James coach at Sumner High School from 1970-75.