James River sponsors the following sports teams: croquet, baseball, basketball, crew, cross country, field hockey, American football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, volleyball, swimming and wrestling. The school also supports a crew team which competes in the Virginia Scholastic Championships. The athletic department is currently sponsored with Adidas. James River's rivals include Midlothian, and Cosby. The James River and Midlothian rivalry is a classic, especially in American football, where the two schools in the annual "Coal Bowl". Only six miles apart, the schools are considered "cross town rivals". The men's volleyball program is among the most successful at the school and in the state. They have won five state championships, more than any other school in Virginia, and have won back to back state championships on two separate occasions. Their state championship seasons are 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, and 2018. They were runner-up in 2014. Notable volleyball alumni include Darren Kilby, Sam Albus, and Mitchell Ford. All of whom were state and regional players of the year in 2010, 2011, and 2012 respectively. The James River baseball team won in 2007 and 2008 the Group AAA State Baseball Championship. In 2008 the Rapids were ranked 19th in the nation in High School Baseball. In 2011 the team had another run at the state championship but lost in the semi-finals. They are considered one of the top high schools in Virginia baseball. Consistently ranking top 200 in the Nation and top 10 in Virginia. In 2008 the men's golf team won its first championship in 2008 VHSL Group AAA State Championship. In 2013 the men's golf team would win the championship. They would go onto winning three consecutive championships in 2014 and 2015. The women's cross country team won the Group AAA State Championship in 2002. In 2011 the men's basketball team won the AAA championship to ESPNWorld Wide of Sports Regional High school Invitational Basketball Tournament in Orlando Florida. It was featured on ESPN 3 and featured some of the top AAA high school teams in America. In 2002, the women's field hockey team won the State Championship in overtime against Lake Braddock 3-2. In 2016 the men's lacrosse team made it to State Championship but lost. They were ranked #10 overall in Virginia. The Women's volleyball team had its best season in 2012, when Kari Heavenrich has several spectacular performances. The school also has men's and women's lacrosse teams, which were the first public high school lacrosse teams in the Central Region.
