Coach Dennis Dahl, Orcas High School football coach, was named this week to the Washington State High School Football ‘Coaches Hall of Fame’ for a Lifetime Achievement award. Coach Dahl, who came to Orcas in 1990 and has been coaching the Orcas varsity football team for 19 years, will be inducted into the Washington State Coaches Hall of Fame at the winter clinic in Bellevue, Washington, on Jan. 24, 2009.

“This is a huge honor for me.” said Coach Dahl. “I have always loved playing sports…wrestling and football especially, but watching the young people that I coach develop into responsible and persevering young men and women … that’s a very special thing. I am honored to receive the award and honored to work with so many young people.”

Dennis Dahl began his teaching career at Stanwood High School in 1973 as an assistant wrestling coach, and then moved to Juno, Alaska, as a young man. He was there for three years, enjoying the city and teaching full time as the head coach of the wrestling team. He also helped coach track as well while in Alaska. He moved to New Meadows, Idaho and took the head coaching position at New Meadows High School and stayed there teaching and coaching for ten years with his wife, Bonnie. In 1990, Dennis and Bonnie made the decision to move to Orcas Island. Coach Dahl’s love of sports has never left him. “I grew up in a big family. We had a lot of cousins, I had two brothers, and we all played any and all kinds of sports all year round. I got a wrestling scholarship to Skagit Valley Junior College and Gary Knutsen was my wrestling coach. I was impressed with his coaching and felt like I could continue being involved in sports and teaching through coaching.” After moving back from Alaska to Ellensberg, Washington in 1976, Coach Dahl finished his Bachelor’s Degree in Health and Physical Education at Central Washington University.

“It’s probably true of all coaches; you feel very lucky if a young person excels and is able to accomplish something special on the field, especially if they didn’t think that they could. When I am able to see improvements in both my team and in the players, as they grow into athletes and into young men and women, that’s when I’m the proudest of all.”