The Times’ softball coach of the year: Rick Robinson of Norco
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During a softball season when top pitchers were hard to find, coach Rick Robinson of Norco High was patient, wise and comforting in helping sophomore Coral Williams make the kind of improvement that could lead to a championship.
Then came the biggest game of the season — the Southern Section Division 1 final against El Modena. And all Williams did was complete a one-hit shutout in a 3-0 victory, rewarding Robinson and Norco with an eighth championship.
For guiding his team to a 29-3 record while mixing in a combination of young and veteran players, Robinson has been selected The Times’ softball coach of the year for 2025.
Seth Hernandez and Kai Minor are The Times’ baseball and softball players of the year for 2025. Check out the rest of the All-Star teams here.
The Cougars were seeded No. 1 and started the season 11-0 before losing to El Modena 5-4. That loss immediately punctured the invincibility of Norco and had Robinson making sure his players kept working hard. Then there was a 1-0 loss to Orange Lutheran in April.
His players responded by dominating in the Division 1 playoffs.
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