About Cavalier Masters
Cavalier Masters (formerly E Team) is a masters swim team based in Charlottesville, Virginia. Our team is organized under Cavalier Aquatics with Piedmont Family YMCA. Cavalier Aquatics is a USA Swimming program and Cavalier Masters is a USMS program.
Our swimmers range in all age groups and ability levels from recreational swimmers, former high school and college swimmers, elite national level swimmers, and several open water and multi-sport athletes. Our approach is focused on technique for efficient swimming to help you build confidence and fitness to meet your personal goals.
Our team was founded by Coach Don Easterling in 2012 at the ACAC fitness club in Charlottesville. In 2017, the team was named after Coach Easterling and called E Team and formally registered with USMS. Later that year the team moved from ACAC and relocated to the Piedmont Family YMCA where the team experienced tremendous growth. In the Autumn of 2022, Coach Easterling retired as head coach and the team was merged with the Cavalier Aquatics program under the leadership of Head Coach Gary Taylor.
Cavalier Masters (CM-Y) is a registered US Masters Swimming (USMS) club, within the Virginia LMSC. We have certified USMS Masters Coaches on deck. YMCA membership is encouraged to swim at our practice facility and USMS membership is required for all team members for insurance and liability coverage.
We focus on teaching technique for all levels of swimming as a stepping block to building confidence, fitness, and endurance.
Cavalier Masters empowers adults through swimming.
We believe anyone can become a strong swimmer, and that starts with building a foundation with proper technique and focus. We use these as building blocks to help you discover confidence and strength in the water that is fostered in a fun team environment. Swimming is a lifelong sport, and with Cavalier Masters, you will find friends for life.
Cavalier Masters is a welcoming team and family.
Regardless if you are a competitive swimmer or just like to train and swim for fun, we are a team-based family environment that supports everyone and will cheer you on as you explore and pursue your goals in the world of swimming.
Meet The Coaches
Dave Anderson
Coach
Dave coaches primarily with Cavalier Aquatics while also coaching our Masters team. He spent the previous three years with 757 Swim in Williamsburg, VA where he was the lead coach of two groups and worked as an assistant with all groups. Dave also served as the Head Coach of the First Colony Flyers, winning the VPSU Championship two years in a row.
John Crane
Coach
John is a USMS Level 3 certified coach. Before retiring to Charlottesville, John swam and coached with several teams in the Pacific Masters LMSC. He also serves as a stroke and turn official for USA Swimming and USMS meets and events. John provides a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge of pool and open water swimming to the team, with focuses on sprint and middle distance training.
Jake McQuiggan
Coach
Jake is a USMS Level 3 certified coach, Crossfit Instructor, and Nurse. He swam competitively in high school. He was an assistant age group coach throughout high school and college. He was a Registered Nurse with UVA Health and now a Nurse Practitioner with private clinics. Jake leads the team's dryland program with a heavy focus on core strength and development.
Craig Bauer
Coach Consultant
Craig is a USMS Level 3, ASCA Level 2, and Stroke Development Coach. He served as Head Coach with Greater Sarasota Aquatic Club (GSAC), High School Coach for Covenant Christian High School in Indianapolis and Assistant Coach for Indy Aquatic Masters, Indianapolis. Craig brings a great wealth of coaching knowledge and experience working with swimmers with race preparation and overall technique.
Don Easterling
Coach Emeritus & Team Founder
Before teaching masters swimming, Coach Don Easterling was a university swimming and diving coach for over 34 years, first as Head Coach at University of Texas in Arlington and then as Head Coach for the North Carolina State (NCS) Wolfpack in Raleigh NC. He stayed at NCS for 25 years where he led his teams to 13 men’s’ Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championships; 12 consecutively from 1971 to 1982. He also started the women's program in 1976 attaining back-to-back ACC titles in 1979 and '80 and coached 40 athletes that earned All-America honors. In addition to these successes, he coached nine Olympians from 1968 to 1996.
Easterling's many contributions to the world of swimming were recognized in his being the recipient of numerous awards including: ACC Men's Swimming Coach of the Year, Award for his NCS women’s program, National Collegiate Scholastic Swimming Coach of the Year, Texas Legends of Swimming, University of Texas Arlington Hall, American Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame, North Carolina State University Walk of Fame and the NC State Athletic Hall of Fame.
Following his retirement, Coach E taught youth swim camp for years and began coaching masters swimming in 2004 in Charlottesville. Called “Coach E” he moved to ACAC in 2012. His devoted swimmers named the masters team “E Team” after Don in 2017. In August that year, Coach E and a small group of his swimmers, moved to the Brooks YMCA to expand E Team and promote competitive masters swimming. The team grew quickly and the swimmers competed in numerous local, regional and national events regularly scoring “podium” wins, national, and world titles. Coach E’s last national event was in 2022 where E Team obtained high scores and the title of 5th highest scoring club team.
Coach E retired from coaching in October 2022 and passed away in January 2023. He is loved and appreciated for all he gave to so many swimmers and the world of swimming in general.