Joel B. Dearing retired after the 2010 season from a 30-year and 40-season (combining women's and men's teams) collegiate coaching career with an overall 899-384 record. Dearing was the first coach for the women's and men's programs at Roger Williams University before taking over both programs at Springfield College in Massachusetts in 1989. He finished with a 728-310 career record and .701 winning percentage for his women's teams, putting him in the top 10 in NCAA Division III history. His 1996 Springfield College men's team was undefeated against Division III competition and finished the season ranked first in the country. He remains on the Springfield College faculty, teaching full time in the athletic administration graduate program.

Dearing is a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and a member of USA Volleyball's cadre of coaches. He is a five-time recipient of the AVCA Region Coach of the Year Award (1993, 1994, 1996, 2003, and 2008), was honored by the International Volleyball Hall of Fame with the Mintonette Medallion of Merit Award in 2013, and was elected into the Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015. He is also the author of The Untold Story of William G. Morgan-Inventor of Volleyball.

Dearing Leadership LLC was established in 2018 and includes Dearing Volleyball School (started in 1984), where he runs his summer camps and coaching clinics. Dearing also conducts leadership training seminars and is available for motivational and public speaking engagements.