How Tim Walton and family grew alongside Florida softball’s rise to national power

When Tim Walton first arrived in Gainesville after taking the Florida softball coaching job in 2006, he had a family decision to make. With two young children and a third on the way, Tim and his wife Samantha mulled about whether to enter the kids into the Florida prepaid college program. “We’re like, we’ve got a five-year contract, we’re not buying Florida prepaid,” Walton said.

“So probably the worst decision I made in my life. ” Samantha agreed. "So it happens, Tim is pretty good at his job," she said.

Walton can laugh about it 20 years later. In that span, the 53-year-old Walton has coached the Florida Gators to 1,079 wins, 13 Women’s College World Series trips and two national titles, while touching the lives of hundreds of young women. He’s also raised a family who is as invested in the program as he is, while pursuing their own athletic interests.

Tim and Samantha’s eldest son, Brooks, was a former pitcher at Buchholz and Santa Fe College and now works on Walton’s softball staff. Middle daughter Camden played lacrosse at Buchholz before graduating at UF and works as a recruiting coordinator for UF’s men’s golf program. Youngest son Palmer, who was born in Gainesville, plays on Santa Fe College’s men’s basketball team.