The Times’ All-Star softball team: Mike Smith of Eastvale Roosevelt is coach of year

Mike Smith knows how to develop high school championship softball teams. He did it at Chino Hills. He did it at Chino. And he did it again this season at Eastvale Roosevelt.

The freshmen who came to Roosevelt in 2019 stuck with Smith until their senior season, and the result was a Southern Section Division 1 championship.

“It’s a great group of seniors,” he said.

Smith is The Times’ softball coach of the year.

Roosevelt finished 28-4 and navigated the Division 1 playoffs with wins over Upland, La Mirada, Garden Grove Pacifica, Cerritos Gahr and Los Alamitos, defeating the Griffins 5-4 in the final.

“We met our expectations and it was very exciting,” Smith said. “They never got rattled.”

Roosevelt made it to the Division I regional final before falling to Westlake Village Oaks Christian. Smith appreciated the talent and balance on his team.

“We got speed, slappers, power hitters and pitching,” he said. “One through nine and probably six kids on the bench could start on other teams, they bought in to how I do things and are very mature.”