Dennis graduated from Muscle Shoals High School in 1983 where he was a member of the Basketball and baseball teams for the Trojans. During his junior year on the hardwood, he helped to lead the team to a 15-10 record and its first winning season in 10 years while being selected to the Colbet County All-Tournament Team. The next year as a senior he averaged 12 points and 6 assists as MSHS finished 21-6, becoming the first team to win at least 20 games in a season. Dennis was equally successful on the baseball team as he played on the varsity for 3 years at first base and was selected to the Times Daily All-Area Team and played in two rounds of the East- West All-Star game. Following high school Dennis was signed to a basketball scholarship to Northwest State Junior College playing 2 years for Coach Bill Moss. After Northwest Dennis went on to graduate from The University of North Alabama and began his coaching career at Oak Park Middle School in Decatur in 1990. He then became the Varsity Basketball Coach at Muscle Shoals in 2000 after 7 years as an assistant basketball coach, 9 years assisting in football, and Head Boys Golf Coach for 5 years. He had an outstanding record leading the Trojans basketball team from 2000-2010 with a record of 233-99. During that span they won the Regional Tournament 3 times and made it to the Elite 8 twice.