About

Matt Dennison

After much preparation and work, I have made the choice to begin my second act.  I am living a wonderful life and no outside events have forced me into this new adventure that I am embarking on other than an internal need to share the “Win with PMA” philosophy with a wider audience.  It is a message that my father has taught me and hundreds of others that is impactful and life changing to those that live it.

I am in my twenty-sixth year in education as a teacher, administrator and football coach.  My father, Jim, was in education and athletics at the collegiate level for fifty-three years as a football coach and athletic director.  Every team that we have coached has been taught the power of PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) and its eight principles to a successful life.  It is a way of life that is rooted in toughness, persistence, and the belief that we are born to succeed.  

Over the past few years, I was compelled to put the “Win with PMA” standards and practices to paper and write about the principles that have meant so much to so many people including Jim Tressel, Bob Huggins and Mark Dantonio who started their coaching careers under the tutelage of my father.  It is a philosophy that has led my dad to be the most successful football coach in both the University of Akron and Walsh University histories, while I have become the most successful football coach in the storied history of New Philadelphia High School.  I am constantly amazed at the number of our former coaches and players that come back to tell us how much PMA has meant to them and made them better people.  Because of this, I recently mustered up the courage to create this website and blog on PMA and its fundamentals as well as create customize-able leadership and character building programs for schools, businesses and teams.

I am New Philadelphia’s all-time winningest coach, compiling an overall record of 133-51(winning percentage of 72.3) with 11 appearances in the postseason playoffs, four East Central Ohio League (ECOL) championships and being honored as coach of the year a combined 18 times between the ECOL, Eastern District and Region 11.  To go along with these coach of the year awards, I have been selected as an assistant coach in the Ohio North-South All Star Classic in 2005 while serving as head coach in the Big 33 All Star Game in 2011 and the Times Reports All Star Charity Classic in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2013.  I served on the Board of Directors of the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association from 2008-2015 and was the president of the organization in 2016.  

I have an overall career coaching record of 145-55, having served as head coach at Claymont (overall record 12-8) for two seasons prior to going to New Philadelphia in 2003. In my head coaching career, I have developed eight Division I and over forty-five Division II and III college football players.  Our 2004, 2016 and 2019 rank as three of the top five most successful teams in NPHS history.  Our teams have set nearly all of the school’s all time records.  I have coached two State Players of the Year and thirty five first team All Ohioans.  

I previously served as an assistant coach for five seasons at Wadsworth High School (1995-2000) and one year at Norton High School (1994). I am currently the athletic director at New Philadelphia High School. I previously taught English and history at New Philadelphia Welty Middle School, Claymont Junior High School, Wadsworth Middle School and Valley View Elementary at Wadsworth. 

I contributed a chapter titled, “A Coach’s Regret” in the recently published book, Not Far From Me. This book chronicles the opiod epidemic in Ohio and how the people in our state are dealing with it.

I have also added several speaking engagements to my docket.  Over the past several years, I have worked with several area athletic teams teaching about character and leadership through PMA.  I have also spoken at the OHSFCA Football Clinic, the Glazier National Football Clinics, the Nike Coach of the Year Clinic (twice), and the Ohio State Football Clinic.  I discussed PMA in these speeches and also gives insight on the Quaker’s offensive and defensive schemes.

I reside in New Philadelphia with my wife, Beth. We have twin daughters, Abigail and Hannah, who are 2015 graduates of New Philadelphia High School. Abigail is a graduate of Otterbein University with a public relations degree. Hannah graduated from Ohio Northern University with a degree in nursing.