James Carter grew up as the son of a farmer in Autauga County, Alabama. As a youth, he played football, baseball and basketball at Billingsley High School. Carter played baseball for the University of Montevallo and at one time held the career batting average record there with a .387 average.

After graduation he accepted a position as basketball coach and assistant football coach at Dallas County High School in Plantersville where he led championship contender basketball teams for eight seasons.

Carter moved to Autauga Academy in 1977 as the head football coach. He won two state titles and experienced only one losing season during his eight-year tenure with the school.

His 1978 and 1983 teams ran the tables in the AISA playoffs to earned State Championships in football.

In 1985, one week prior to the opening of fall practice, Coach Carter received the call of his dreams to return to Billingsley High School as head football coach.

In his first 13 seasons, the Billingsley Bears missed the playoffs only twice, won two state titles, two runner-up slots, and competed twice in the quarterfinals and once in the semifinals. Three of his teams (1987, 1988 and 1992) finished the regular season undefeated.

Carters 1992 team finished the season 15-0 and his first state championship with a 13-12 squeaker over Parrish High School.

Coach Carter, led the Billingsley program for a total of 22 years and a 162-96 record. He retired following the 2006 season after 37 years of teaching and coaching.