In the Circle: 2018 Gators with Tim Walton
On this edition of In The Circle, we are joined by two-time National Champion and head coach of the Florida Gators Tim Walton. Walton discusses his career, from being a player on the 1994 Oklahoma baseball national championship team to going into coaching softball and turning the Gators program into a national power. The Gators won the national championship in both 2014 and 2015.
Coach Walton talks about the upcoming 2018 season where the Gators will be led by 2017 USA Softball Player of the Year, Kelly Barnhill. The question is, who will replace pitcher Delanie Gourley? Gourley was a big part of the Gators pitching staff the past four years. Walton talks about the keys to this upcoming season and what they will need to do to make a return trip to Oklahoma City.
Walton discusses what got him into coaching college softball coming from playing baseball, where he was part of the Sooners College Baseball World Series appearances in 1994 and 1995. Walton went into coaching softball as part of Patty Gasso’s coaching staff from 1999-2002 being part of the Sooners national Championship in 2000.
Coach discusses what led him to take over the Florida Gators program in the fall of 2005 and why he felt he can turn Florida into a winner.
Finally, coach Walton reflects on his first Gators team that made it to the Women’s College World Series in 2008 and the group of players like Stacey Nelson, Francesca Enea, Megan Bush, and others from that era that help set the standard for the current Gators players.
