By Jessica Self
At the age of five, Rosie Robinson joined her first competitive sports team. The 2012 Hemet High graduate has revolved her life around sports ever since.
During her time at Hemet High, Robinson was a member of varsity soccer and volleyball for three years and made first-team all- CIF on both teams. The standout performer can now add to her long list of accomplishment’s The Valley Chronicle’s 2012 female athlete of the year.
“I joined my first soccer team at the age of five up in Idyllwild. It was just an AYSO team and we played other teams down in Hemet,” Robinson said. “I have played every year of my life since then.”
Robinson participated in
recreation league soccer for several years before joining travel soccer teams throughout the Inland Empire where she started playing year around.
“I loved the game,” Robinson said.
At Hemet High, Robinson, who was a forward and offensive weapon, shined on the field. She was a two- time first-team all-league recipient as well as a two-time first-team all-CIF winner. She earned MVP of the Mountain Pass League in 2012 as well as MVP and offensive MVP of her team. She also made first-team all-Riverside County twice and was a first-team all-valley member once.
Looking at her stats, it was easy to see why Robinson was so highly decorated. In the 2012 season she put in 27 goals and had 19 assists. In 2011, she fared just as well with 29 goals and 15 assists.
Robinson also aided in leading her soccer team to CIF Southern Section Division 6 semifinals in 2011 and finals in 2012.
“I thought soccer was going to be what I wanted to pursue after high school,” Robinson said.
That was until the beginning of Robinson’s senior season — a time when she was unsure if she would even go out for the soccer team.
Robinson grew up watching her sister (Hemet coach Jewel Robinson) play volleyball and beginning in seventh grade, Robinson became a dual-sport athlete when she picked up the sport herself. She joined the team at Dartmouth Middle School and said she fell in love.
“Volleyball is my passion. I realized how addicting it was,” Robinson said. “My mindset was always that I would play soccer in
college, but I just kind of burned out. I didn’t even want to play my final season at Hemet High, but my mom talked me into it. I’m glad I did because it was a great experience, but I am done with soccer now.”
Robinson has not, however, finished with volleyball.
In the fall, North Idaho College will be Robinson’s new school and team. The school will pay for tuition and fees in exchange for her services as a libero for the next two years.
“I will miss soccer, but not enough to actually pursue it anymore,” Robinson said. “My heart is in volleyball.”
As a Bulldog, Robinson had much success on the volleyball court. She earned first-team all-league honors for two years and first-team all-CIF honors for one year. She was also a member of both of the back-to- back CIF Southern Section Division 4A Championship teams in 2010 and 2011.
“Winning CIF for the first time — there is nothing like it. It is by far my best moment in sports,” Robinson said.
Robinson averaged 4.5 digs per game in the 2011 season, a Mountain Pass League high.
After winning CIF again this year in volleyball and making CIF finals in soccer, Robinson took some time off from travel and club sports.
“I had played both high school sports and club volleyball and club soccer for so many years. That meant I was always playing two sports at one time,” Robinson said. “I would get home every night at seven or eight and then have to do homework. This year was a nice break from that and made me realize how much I had really been doing.”
Aside from staying highly active in athletics, Robinson also kept above a 3.0 GPA, was a member of the photography club and the
interactive club, and was an ASB representative all four years of high school. She was also named this year’s homecoming queen.
“Being named homecoming queen — it was such an honor. It was one of the best experiences of my life,” Robinson said. “And the fact that my student body voted me into that position made it 10 times better.”
Next year, Robinson will not only stay busy on the court but in the classroom as well. She plans to study veterinary science.
“I really enjoy working with animals. I can’t even discriminate — like choose whether I am a cat or a dog person,” she said. “I love them all.”
Robinson will be rooming with her best friend, Alex Rodriguez of San Jacinto High School, who earned a soccer scholarship to the same school.
“I am so excited to be in that college atmosphere and play at a collegiate level,” Robinson said. “Not playing club this year made me realize how much volleyball is apartofmylife.Imissit.Iamso ready for this next step.”