Exceptional career winding down for Lady Devils skipper Tim Mackin

By Rick McCorkle / The Daily News The Daily News Online | Posted: Thursday, May 12, 2011 9:45 pm

Tim Mackin has a knack for making winning NWAACC softball titles look easy.

That's despite the feeling of uncertainty that plagued him at the beginning of his 19-year career as softball coach at Lower Columbia College. Advice from another seasoned LCC coach eased the newbie's mind and proved to be true.

"I talked to Steve Farrington (former LCC baseball coach) and asked him what it would take to win one," he said. "Steve told me that after I won, the phone calls would start coming from coaches and good players wanting to come to Lower Columbia."

Mackin went on to win a conference-record 10 softball titles and amass nearly 700 victories in a career that will conclude with this year's NWAACC Softball Championships May 20-23 at Portland's Delta Park.

He retires as the winningest softball coach in conference history, and the winningest coach in all sports at LCC.

Mackin coaches his final home games when the Lady Devils host Chemeketa in a doubleheader at noon Saturday at Heerensperger Field at Tam O'Shanter Park.

Leaving wasn't an easy decision for Mackin, but his priorities hit a little closer to the homefront nowadays.

"I decided I wanted to spend more time with family and my grandkids," he said. "My granddaughter (Kailey Mackin) is on the freshman softball team at Kelso, and my oldest grandson is playing baseball out at Riverside Park. I want the opportunity to watch them play."

After years of traveling around the world playing softball, followed by coaching four seasons of high school ball at Mark Morris and two decades at LCC, Mackin doesn't feel he has the oomph he had 10 years ago.
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