Easterling coached the Fort Worth Panther Boy’s Club and Burford Aquatic Club from 1952-70. He coached the University of Texas at Arlington to national prominence from 1966-70, with his 1969 team finishing second at the NCAA Championships. In 1968 he had four swimmers make the finals of the U.S. Olympic Trials, where two of them, Doug Russell and Ronnie Mills, made the U.S. team. He later served 27 years as the head coach at North Carolina State.