Meet the Coaches
Fitzpatrick Coaching Solutions was founded by cousins Emily Dippel and Erick Knickerbocker, two lifelong coaches and educators with a shared passion for leadership, culture, and building successful teams.
Sports have always been a thread that connects us, a passion passed down from our grandfather, Joe Fitzpatrick—an outstanding athlete who played football and baseball at UConn before competing in minor league baseball. While our coaching journeys have taken different paths, our shared values and experiences continue to bring us together.
From countless conversations at family gatherings about sports, leadership, and program building, Fitzpatrick Coaching Solutions was born. Today, we combine our expertise to help coaches, teams, and organizations develop winning cultures, effective leadership, and sustainable success.
Rockville Rams - Head Football Coach
Erick Knickerbocker
Erick Knickerbocker has dedicated over 20 years to coaching and teaching, shaping student-athletes on and off the field. Now in his 8th season as Head Football Coach at Rockville High School, he has transformed a program that was once 27–107 with 15 consecutive losing seasons into a perennial contender. Under his leadership, Rockville has reached the state playoffs in every season, making four state semifinal appearances, two state final appearances, and capturing four league championships. Knickerbocker has been named the Pequot Conference Coach of the year in 2019, and 2026.
In addition to football, Knickerbocker has played a pivotal role in rebuilding Rockville’s Track & Field program into a state contender. Since joining the staff, the Rams have captured four boys’ conference championships and three girls’ conference championships, highlighted by a state runner-up finish for the boys’ team in 2022.
He has also coached baseball, football, and basketball at various levels, from youth to varsity. His coaching journey also includes a decade at the YMCA, where he served as a camp director, honing his skills in leadership, teamwork, and community building.
A veteran educator, Knickerbocker has taught history for 15 years, working with students in grades 6 through 12. He brings the same energy and passion to the classroom that he does to the field, believing deeply in the power of relationships, culture, and discipline to change lives.
A lifelong resident of Ellington, Erick has built strong ties to the Rockville community he now serves. He shares this journey with his wife Christina, his high school sweetheart and a math teacher, and their two children, Jayden (12) and Brooklynn (9). Outside of football, he’s an avid runner and fitness enthusiast, a fan of country music, and a huge Star Wars and Marvel devotee.
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Worcester Polytechnic Institution - Head T&F Coach
Emily Dippel
Emily Dippel started her coaching journey as an Athletic Trainer—recognizing the need for holistic support in athletics and leading her to pursue a Master’s in Sport Psychology and Motor Learning at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Emily is in her second year as Head Track & Field Coach at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), where she was named East Region Men’s Coach of the Year after leading the Engineers to the NEWMAC Championship team title. Under her leadership, WPI also tied a program-best team finish of third place at the New England DIII Championships. Emily brings extensive collegiate coaching experience, with a focus on athlete development, team culture, and championship-level performance.