The Times' softball coach of the year: Rick Robinson of Norco
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.
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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