He served as the head football coach at Central Michigan Normal School, now Central Michigan University, from 1909 to 1912 and at Alma College in 1916 and 1917, compiling a career college football record of 20–10–2.

In addition, he was the head baseball coach at Central Michigan from 1910 to 1916, tallying a mark of 33–26–2.

[1] While at Alma, Helmer played on the football, baseball, basketball, and track and field teams.

We was also served 18 years as a supervisor of Parma Township and was the director of the welfare department in Jackson County, Michigan, from 1944 to 1954.

This biographical article relating to a college football coach first appointed in the 1900s is a stub.