Rebuilding and Sustaining Culture: "Restore the Rock" w/ Eric Knickerbocker Artwork

The Coaching 101 Podcast

Welcome to The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosted by Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson, where football coaching takes center stage! Whether you're a seasoned football coach, a rookie on the sidelines, or just a die-hard fan eager to learn more about the game, this podcast is your playbook for success.

Join Daniel and Kenny as they break down game strategies, share insights on player development, explore leadership on and off the field, and tackle the challenges of coaching at every level. Featuring interviews with top coaches, athletes, and experts, every episode is packed with tips, stories, and strategies to help you build winning teams and inspire greatness.

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The Coaching 101 Podcast

Rebuilding and Sustaining Culture: "Restore the Rock" w/ Eric Knickerbocker

April 30, 2026 • Kenny Simpson and Daniel Chamberlain • Season 8 • Episode 5

0:00 | 56:16

On The Coaching 101 Podcast, hosts Daniel Chamberlain and Kenny Simpson interview Connecticut head coach and author Eric Knickerbocker about rebuilding and sustaining football culture at Rockville High School after 15 straight losing seasons. Knickerbocker shares his 22-year coaching journey, how studying leadership and culture books led him to write Restore the Rock, and how reflective writing helped him evaluate what worked and what didn’t. He explains that early turnaround efforts focused on digging into program history to create identity and a clear vision (“Restore the Rock,” later shifting to “Raise the Rock”), while buy-in required involving players, aligning stakeholders, and gaining administrative support. The group discusses leadership responses, maintaining success amid rising expectations, and hard truths of head coaching, including self-doubt, losing people, talent and scheme fit, and the loneliness and complexity of leadership.

00:00 Podcast Welcome

00:36 Coach Background

02:21 Culture Is Fragile

03:29 Quote Of The Week

05:32 Sponsor Shoutouts

08:22 Why Write The Book

12:07 Reflecting To Improve

13:27 Restore The Rock Identity

15:46 Fear And Teaching

20:35 Buy In From Adults

21:45 Player Led Culture

24:40 Shared Values Simple Rules