Doug Dahms is not the retiring type
Monday morning would have been a perfect time for Doug Dahms to pull out the sticks and head to Manor Golf Course for 18. The stifling August heat had finally abated, and The Manor is one of his favorite courses.
Or, he could’ve taken his fishing rod and made his way to Blue Marsh.
Or headed back to the Caribbean, another favorite haunt, to scuba dive.
Instead he rose early and made his way in the darkness to Gurski Stadium for the official start of his 46th season coaching football.
Dahms, 68, is a man of many passions and many talents and football just happens to be one of them.
Monday it was the only one that mattered.
Top winning percentages in Berks football history
(minimum 50 games coached)
| Coach | School(s) | Seasons | Winning % |
| Doug Dahms | Wilson | 15 | .838 |
| Bob Wolfrum | Wyomissing | 34 | .790 |
| Jim Cantafio | Wilson | 8 | .784 |
| John Gurski | Wilson | 19 | .769 |
| John Yocum | Muhlenberg | 20 | .765 |
| Gerry Slemmer | Wilson | 15 | .754 |
| Dave Bodolus | Daniel Boone | 9 | .738 |
| Scoop Clemens | Muhlenberg | 10 | .701 |
| Al Wolski | Reading High | 9 | .699 |
| Dave Rugh | Holy Name | 10 | .662 |
The Bulldogs, shooting for their 46th consecutive winning season — the longest streak in the state — were out on the field by 6 a.m. for their first live contact drill of the summer and the start of a full day of workouts and meetings.
For Dahms and his staff it was the first of many 12- to 15-hour days over the next few weeks, getting the Bulldogs ready for their season-opening clash against Central Dauphin — easily one of the top Week 1 games across the state.
Dahms wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else.
He still loves every aspect of football — in season and out — as much as he did when he joined John Gurski’s Wilson staff in 1976.
“There’s times it gets to be a drag,” he said after Monday’s first practice session, “(and) times you want to go-go-go!”
Monday was the latter. Dahms is excited about his football team, just as he is every August. The offensive line concerns him. He’s breaking in a new quarterback. Seven starters need to be replaced from a pretty good defense.
There are things he’s happy about. He loves the depth and ability in his backfield, where Jadyn Jones and Gavin Lenart will carry the load. Loves the energy and talent junior Cam Jones brings to the offense, and the defensive backfield. Likes the depth of his linebacking group and the potential of his receiver pool.
With a fresh season ahead he wasn’t thinking about giving up football. Not Monday.
There have been times after recent seasons when the winningest coach in program history thought about walking away from it.
“I think about it every year,” he admitted. “I still have the drive; I still enjoy it. I’m still getting the job done. I still love teaching. As long as my health stays good… I’ll keep going year by year.”
Seven or eight years ago Dahms was on the five-year plan. If you asked him about an end game he’d say he was good for another five years.
Now he’s on the one-year plan. He admits he’s given retirement consideration after recent seasons but he keeps finding his way back, in large part because he knows he’s got a veteran staff he can depend on. Defensive coordinator Ernie Wolber and linebackers coach Matt Bender have been on staff for over 20 years. Offensive coordinator Jeremy Palm is in his 18th season. Brandon Dahms and Jake Peterson have been there for 12 of Dahms’ 15 seasons as head coach.
None have ever known a losing season. Dahms joined the staff following a 5-5 record in 1975. The Bulldogs have had 45 straight winning records since, a remarkable achievement.
Dahms has all kinds of remarkable stuff on his resume.
His .838 winning percentage is the highest in Berks history.
In 2006 he set the Berks record for wins by a rookie head coach when the Bulldogs went 11-2.
He compiled the best opening three-year record (34-7) in Berks history, the best four-year record (45-9), the best five-year record (56-10)… etc., etc.
He’s been inducted into five Halls of Fame: Muhlenberg, Wilson, Lebanon Valley College, the Berks Chapter of the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame and the Berks County Football Coaches Association. Others await.
Dahms reached 100 victories faster than any coach in Berks football history and, late in the 2019 season, he surpassed Gurski’s program record of 151 wins.
That was akin to Hank Aaron hitting his 715th home run to pass Babe Ruth.
When the Bulldogs take the field against Cedar Crest in Week 8 he’ll pass Gurski’s Wilson record for most games coached.
It’s unlikely he’ll be around long enough to get to 200 wins — he needs 39 more. Then again, you never know.
Dahms is not about to give up coaching track and field so that he has more energy left for football. He’s deeply wedded to that sport — he was a high jumper, hurdler and pole vaulter at Lebanon Valley College (in addition to being a linebacker and wrestler) — and regularly wins league and district championships.
He’s unlikely to give up teaching in order ease his load. He started the AP Biology and AP Environmental Science courses at Wilson and teaching those classes are just as important and fulfilling to him as winning another Lancaster-Lebanon League championship.
“I love teaching as much as I love coaching, so I don’t know (that I want to do that),” he said of retiring from the classroom. “At some point, when the time comes, I’ll just know (it’s time to leave)– that’s what everybody says.”
