Dennis Helms – Paradise, CA
Football-1964, 1965
Boxing-1965, 1966


Dennis Helms, physical education teacher/coach at Paradise High School for the past 34 years, attended Chico State from 1964-1968 where he received his teaching credential. Prior to attending Chico State he played four years of football and track at Lodi High School and two years of football at Stockton Junior College. During his time at Chico he participated in both football and boxing and was Honorable Mention All-Conference in football in 1965. He was also very active in the Chico State Block C Club where he was vice president in 1967.

Dennis started coaching at Durham High School in 1966 in the areas of football and wrestling as he completed his credential work. In 1968 he took a job at Paradise High School where he continues to teach. At PHS, Dennis coached football for 28 years winning three junior varsity championships, three varsity championships, and the NSCIF championship in 1980. He was voted NSCIF Football Coach of the Year in 1981. His 32 years as wrestling coach at PHS resulted in 11 junior varsity championships, 11 varsity championships and four varsity NSCIF championships. He was selected as NSCIF Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1986.

In the area of athletic administration, Dennis served as Paradise High School athletic director from 1975-1985 and was a member of the NSCIF Wrestling Rules Committee from 1975-2000. He also served as chairman of the Physical Education Department at PHS, advisor for the Block P Club, and head of ushers at Paradise graduations for 29 years.

In 1976, Dennis married DeAnn Burrell. They have a son, Todd, and two daughters, Tori and Megan. All three children have been, or are at the present time, active in athletics at Paradise High School. Todd is currently working on his teaching credential and has coached wrestling at Paradise and Durham for the past three years.

Dennis is a teacher/coach who is committed to excellence both on and off the field of competition and is a highly organized and caring person. As his former coach and college instructor Willie Simmons stated, Dennis was one of those ‘born teachers’. He is among the top five percent of our physical education graduates during my tenure.