MEET COACH JAMES
Building Champions On and Off the Court
THE STORY BEHIND EXTRA MILE
Coach James Ankra did not stumble into basketball. He grew up in Ghana where he won a high school championship and developed a love for the game that would take him across the world.
After moving to China, James competed at the highest levels of the game, winning two college basketball championships, two NBL championships and one national streetball championship. Along the way he earned four Most Valuable Player awards and developed a deep understanding of what it takes to compete and win at an elite level.
But winning was never the only thing that drove him. Coaching was.
FROM PLAYER TO COACH
James began coaching youth basketball in Shanghai in 2009, working across three organizations over seven years developing players ages 6 to 16. His bilingual coaching in English and Mandarin made him uniquely effective in cross cultural environments and his results spoke for themselves. He was recognized with multiple Best Youth Basketball Coach awards during his time in China.
His reputation grew. He was invited as a guest speaker to lead a coaching session for over 200 regional basketball coaches across China. That is not something that happens to average coaches. That is the mark of someone operating at a different level.
COMING TO NEW JERSEY
James brought everything he learned across Ghana, China and nearly two decades of coaching to Lyndhurst, New Jersey and founded Extra Mile Basketball NJ.
In less than two years he trained over 300 athletes. Today that number stands at over 2,000.
He has served as a JV and Varsity head coach, joined the staff of Snow Valley Basketball School, one of America's most prestigious youth basketball programs, and coached at the Jordan CP3 Camp. He is USA Basketball Licensed, NFHS Level 3 Certified and Nike Sports Camp Certified.
He is not just a local trainer. He is a coach with a global track record bringing world class development to your community.
WHAT DRIVES COACH JAMES
Every drill. Every session. Every camp. It all comes back to one belief.
Basketball is a vehicle. The real goal is to develop young people who are confident, disciplined, resilient and ready to lead, on the court and in life.
That is why every Extra Mile session includes not just skill work but intentional character coaching. Leadership is not an accident. It is trained.
CREDENTIALS
2,000+ Athletes Trained | 17 Years of Experience
USA Basketball Licensed Coach
Snow Valley Basketball School Coach
Jordan CP3 Camp Coach
NFHS Level 3 Certified Coach
Nike Sports Camp Certified Coach
1x National Streetball Champion, China
2x College Basketball Champion, China
2x NBL Champion, China
1x High School Champion, Ghana
4x Most Valuable Player
WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING
JONATHAN M. — PARENT ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Coach James is an outstanding basketball trainer for Joshua. His coaching expertise has propelled Joshua's skills to new heights. We're impressed by Coach James' commitment to Joshua's development on the court, making him a valuable mentor in our son's basketball journey and in life."
DOBSON J. — PARENT ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Coach James is one of the few true youth basketball coaches I've met. His experience overseas and working with different age groups gives him the upper hand for training the youth. These (3) things stands out about him: responsibility, dedication and excellence. Its been a pleasure to finally find a coach like him. You will be pleaased to work with him if you are serious about getting better and becoming your best."
JAYDEN R. — PARENT ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Excellent trainer!! Coach James is not your ordinary trainer, he is fun and energetic and loves to teach. My son enjoys the whole time. You can tell he has trained overseas. I highly recommend him if you want your child to train and enjoy the workouts. Thank you, Coach James."
VALERIE C — PARENT ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"My 9-year-old daughter participated in the Summer Basketball Camp, and I couldn't be happier with the experience. Coach James was incredibly caring, motivating, and skilled. He made every drill and workout purposeful and engaging. My daughter had a hard time at first, but Coach James showed genuine care, encouraged her through the tough moments, and celebrated her successes. His support made a huge difference in her confidence and enjoyment of the game. He's truly the best coach my daughter has had — knowledgeable, dedicated, and passionate. You can tell he puts thought and effort into every practice. This camp was definitely worth it!"
KASIM AMIR W. — MVP ATHLETE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Big thanks to my Coach James and all the staff for helping me learn and grow this summer. I really appreciate everything you taught me and how you pushed me to be better. I worked hard, stayed focused, and tried to always be open to learning. It feels great to see that pay off. Just got the MVP award from Summer Camp! Thanks again to everyone who made this summer one to remember!"
A PERSONAL NOTE TO PARENTS
Every child who walks into my gym is someone's most prized possession. I take that seriously. My commitment to your athlete is not just about basketball. I care about who they are becoming as a person more than who they are becoming as a basketball player, while still helping them win at the highest level.
That is the Extra Mile standard. That is what we do every single day.
Coach James Ankra
Extra Mile Basketball NJ
