Durkin was born December 30, 1969, graduating from Ursuline High School in 1988 where he was a key member and contributor to their ’88 OHSAA, Class AA state championship baseball squad.
In addition to playing baseball for the Fighting Irish, he earned three letters as a member of heir cage contingent, later becoming head coach in both sports at his alma mater.
He earned his BA in education degree from YSU, graduating in 2003.
In 2004, he became a teacher at UHS and in 2010 was named the school’s director of athletics, a post that he held until his sudden death on November 27, 2019, at the age of 49.
He served as head coach of the Fighting Irish baseball team from 1998-2015 and posted a 306-138 overall mark in 444 total contests, a sparkling .689 winning percentage.
Under his tutelage, he led UHS to the 2000 OHSAA Division III state championship, guided the team to two state runner-up finishes (2001, 2006), six regional titles (2000-01, 2003, 2006-07and 2013) and 11 district crowns (2000-01, 2003, 2006-08 and 2011-15).
Not to be outdone as a coach for the school’s baseball team – he guided the UHS girls’ basketball team from 1998-2011 and again in 2014 – he led UHS to the 2004 Division III OHSAA state girls basketball championship to become a two-time state champion in two different sports at his alma mater.
His 2006 squad finished as state runners-up and for his efforts was named the Associated Press State “Coach of the Year.”
He also guided his team to two regional championships (2004, 2006) and nine district titles (1999, 2001-06 and 2010-11).
In 383 hoops games, he posted a 252-131 (.658) overall mark and in both sports combined, went 558-269 in 827 total games for a highly-respectable .675 winning percentage.
For his efforts he was inducted into the Ursuline High School Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009, earned induction into the NEOBCA (Northeastern Ohio Baseball Coaches Association) Hall of Fame in 2017 and this past winter, earned induction into the OHSBCA (Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association) Hall of Fame.
He is survived by his children, daughter Annie and son Patrick, his parents, Bernice L. Durkin of Youngstown and Joseph M. Durkin of Sebring, Florida, sister Shannon Barnes of Westlake, his niece, many aunts, uncles, cousins and lifelong friends.
He was predeceased by his grandparents, Bernard and Lucille Stickel, and James and Edna Durkin.
