McFarland has done everything there is to do in diving: diver, coach, judge, administrator, broadcaster, and promoter. McFarland grew up in Amarillo, Texas, where he was introduced to the sport of trampoline at the age of ten. His coach, Gymnastics Hall of Fame inductee Nard Cassel, encouraged him to dive in the summer as it would make him a better trampolinist. His father, Clint, took him to Phoenix, Arizona, to train with Olympic diving coach Dick Smith. He spent his summers competing in Texas Age Group Swimming events until he was sixteen, diving against rivals Cal Loock and Mike Malone. McFarland left diving to pursue his trampoline career as he intended to bounce for coach Newt Loken at the University of Michigan. However, his plans were de-railed when the NCAA dropped trampoline as a sport his senior year in high school. Fortunately, University of Texas coach Hank Chapman offered a diving scholarship, and McFarland’s diving career was renewed.

Following Chapman's retirement, McFarland transferred to the University of Miami, diving for Tom Gompf and winning two national championships on platform and two bronze medals in both springboard and platform at the 1974 World University Games in Moscow. While at Miami, McFarland became an athlete representative to USA Diving, which began his volunteer service to the sport that continues to this day. In 1977 he succeeded Gompf as coach and coached six NCAA all-Americans. His University of Miami program gained international acclaim as many Olympic divers came to train with him.

After his coaching career, McFarland became a television commentator for diving. He worked for NBC at the 1988 Olympic Games where his former diver Greg Louganis won two gold medals. He also worked for ESPN, Turner Broadcast Sports, Outdoor Life Network, Prime Network, and HDTV Net. He was producer and narrator of “100 Years of Diving Success” shown at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Diving Trials, which he hosted and directed.

As a volunteer and administrator, McFarland has been president of USA Diving (1994-1998). He has been an Olympic diving judge at the 2000 and the 2004 Olympic Games. He served on the FINA Technical Diving Committee from 2005 to 2017. He also served on the Executive Committee for UANA form from 2012 to 2016. In addition, he served as president of United States Aquatic Sports from 2014 to 2018. Today, McFarland serves FINA on the Technical High Diving Committee. McFarland is currently the chairman of the board for Duraflex International Corporation.