Since the early 1950s Coach McNally has dedicated his life to aquatics in the state of Texas. He pioneered every level of aquatics in West Texas, establishing age group, high school and college programs. He served as chairman of West Texas AAU swimming from 1960-1972. Beginning in 1952 at Texas Tech University, he coached swimming and diving, was aquatics director, and served as a professor of physical education until his retirement in 1993, when he was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Honor.