James Robert "Jim" Chafin was born in Albertville, Alabama. Chafin was an outstanding football player for the Aggies, playing for Coach Raymond Bates. He graduated in 1946 and went on to have an outstanding career at Jacksonville State, graduating from there in 1951.

Chafin began his coaching career at Isabella High School in Chilton County in 1949 before finishing his degree. Following his graduation from Jacksonville State, he volunteered for military service in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. Following the war, Jim taught one semester at J.B. Pennington High School before returning to Montgomery.

In 1954, Chafin accepted a position as the head baseball coach at Sidney Lanier High School and won the state baseball championship his first year with the Poets. In the fall of 1955, he transferred to the new Robert E. Lee High School as an assistant football coach to legendary Coach Tom Jones.

He served as an assistant football coach for 11 seasons. The Generals had a record of 95-12-5 and won five State Championships. When Coach Jones left to become the Freshman Football Coach at Auburn University in 1966, Chafin became the head football coach and continued the winning tradition. His record over the next six seasons was 51-12-3.

Following a rare losing season in 1968, Coach Chafin went to Houston, Texas, to learn about Bill Yeomans version of the veer offense, which he installed that year at Lee. His 1969 and 1970 teams were undefeated and won the Class 4A State Championship.

Chafin was selected 4A Coach of the Year both seasons. From 1969-71, Chafins teams had a 32-game winning streak and he coached in the 1970 North-South All-Star football game. He also won a State Wrestling Championship at Lee.

Lee lost to rival Lanier 9-7 in the first ever state playoff game in 1966 for the 4A State Championship. In 1969 his Generals defeated Berry High School, of Birmingham, 14-7 to claim their first playoff state title. Lee would repeat the following season with a 27-7 victory over Minor High School.

Following the 1971 season, Chafin gave up his coaching duties to become the Montgomery County Board of Educations first Supervisor of Physical Education and Athletics. In 1980, he retired from public education to become the Athletic Director at the new Trinity Presbyterian School in Montgomery.

During his career, Chafin has served as Vice-President and President of the Alabama High School Coaches and Athletic Directors Association, Physical Education consultant for the Alabama State Department of Education, and has been active in state and national organizations for health and physical education and coaches.

Coach Chafin was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1992, the Montgomery Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Robert E. Lee High School Hall of Fame in 1995. Chafin was also selected as a Jacksonville State University Distinguished Award Honoree in 1995 and was given the AHSAA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.