By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

The “Getting to Know” series is designed to help the community learn more about the coaches and administrators that are guiding today’s Portage County student-athletes to prepare them to be tomorrow’s leaders.

Today, we get to know Rootstown football head coach Chris Knopick, who is in his second season leading the Rovers’ program.

Q: What schools did you attend growing up?

A: Southeast Local Schools.

Q: What year did you graduate high school?

A: Class of 2002.

Q: What college did you attend?

A: Graduated from Baldwin Wallace University in 2007 and played offensive line for the Yellow Jackets for all four years.

Q: Current occupation?

A: Chemistry teacher.

Q: What inspired you to become a coach?

A: I grew up around athletics my entire life, especially the football field. Being around my father’s (Mark Knopick) Rootstown teams of the 1980’s and 1990’s, I got to see first-hand the impact athletics has on young peoples’ lives. When I decided to change paths in college, being able to impact the lives of people the way coaches have impacted mine over the years just seemed to fit.

Q: What makes being a coach at Rootstown so special?

A: I grew up a ball boy for my dad, so returning as a headed coach is really special and has been a great experience.

Q: Who has been your biggest influence and mentor?

A: I have had the ability to be coached by and coach with a multitude of great coaches during my career. Being raised by a lifelong football coach, I grew to love the game of football through my dad and his teams. Coaches like Mike Bell, Mike Elder, Beau Balderson, Jason Hall, Dave Dubinsky, Scott Chouinard, Randy McCoy — and countless others have contributed to my coaching philosophy and who I am as a coach. To this day, my years coaching under John Nemec were incredibly important to developing who I am as a coach and how I interact and treat my players. I’ve been extremely lucky to have been raised by, coached by and worked alongside some of Northeast Ohio’s best coaches.

Q: Funny story nobody would believe from your playing days?

A: I think the statue of limitations has expired on this one, but it is still wild to think some of our coaches in high school laced up the pads and ran scout team against us. Crazy by today’s standards, but it was definitely a different time.

Q: Funny story nobody would believe from your coaching career?

A: Not being able to find one of our players at halftime. Come to find out, he was waiting in the concession line for a hot dog in full equipment. When he returned, Coach Nemec had him finish his hot dog on the sideline before we put him in the game.

Q: Favorite TV show?

A: True Detective: Season 1.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: The Count of Monte Cristo.

Q: Favorite musical artist?

A: Alice in Chains.

Q: Favorite food/meal?

A: Steak or smoked brisket.

Q: Favorite restaurant?

A: Twin Lakes Tavern.

Q: Best vacation?

A: Hawaii.

Q: Favorite motto or quote?

A: “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is life’s greatest accomplishment.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Q: Describe your coaching philosophy.

A: Everything starts with relationships. Theodore Roosevelt said, “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” I have used that to guide myself time and time again.

Q: What does it mean, to you, to be a Rover student-athlete?

A: For me, I firmly believe that, as a Rover, we are teaching young men to be the best future leaders, workers, husbands and fathers they can be. As a student-athlete, the qualities of hard work, honesty, team work, sacrifice, leadership and communication will help our men reach their full potential.

Q: Favorite teacher from high school?

A: Mr. McDivitt.

Q: Advice you would give the younger version of you?

A: Enjoy each moment and be present, because life goes faster than you can ever imagine.

Q: Favorite coach from your playing days?

A: Hard to name a favorite, but I really enjoyed playing for Mike Elder, Dave Clegg and Ralph Graham during my time at Southeast.

Q: Coaching resume.

A: Parma Senior, offensive and defensive lines, 2006 and 2007; Kent Roosevelt, offensive line, 2008-2017 and offensive coordinator 2013-2017; Twinsburg, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks, 2018-2020; Rootstown, head coach, 2021-present.

Q: Shout out to former teammates.

A: Former Pirates John Capitoni, Tyler Faust (RIP), Brett Linzey, Jake Massacci, Travis Root, Chris Dorris and many others — and my fellow Yellow Jacket O-Linemen: John Holleran and Dane Wilson!