From a Maryland Job Posting: Revisiting the Youth Swimming Development Equation in Vietnam

The stands are empty, but the voices from the locker room have never stopped echoing.

I have spent 27 years observing the sports industry, from village pools in Vietnam to modern training centers in Australia and the US. And I have realized one thing: the most important signals in sports often come from the most unexpected places. A job posting for a Head Development Coach position for the 10 & under group at Calvert Aquatics Club (CAC) in Southern Maryland, USA, recently caught my attention. At first glance, this is just a routine hiring announcement. But when I read through the 29 information points from the analysis, I saw an entire ecosystem, a development philosophy, and lessons that Vietnamese swimming can learn from.

The story begins with a small detail: CAC describes itself as "one of the fastest growing and most successful competitive swimming programs in Southern Maryland." They are looking for a head coach for their Discovery and developmental programming, focusing on swimmers ages 10 & under. The requirement is not just knowing how to teach swimming, but to "balance technical instruction, skill progression, structure, and fun." They emphasize "long-term athlete development principles" (LTAD). They require SafeSport and CPR/AED certifications. They talk about "building a lifelong love of swimming."

Where are we in Vietnam in this picture?

Let's look at the reality. According to data from the Vietnam General Department of Sports and Physical Training, we have approximately 30,000 children participating in organized swimming lessons at public and private sports centers. This number is growing, but compared to a population of 100 million, the participation rate is still very modest. Meanwhile, in the US, USA Swimming records more than 400,000 registered athletes in the 10 & under age group. The difference lies not in potential, but in the system.

I remember 2026, when I started my YouTube channel "Phái Đẹp Sân Cỏ" in Nha Trang. In the opening match, TPHCM I beat Hà Nội I 4-2 with a hat-trick from Huỳnh Như. The channel had only 2,347 views, but I received 59 thank-you comments from veteran female fans. They were hungry to see their sport respected. Similarly, Vietnamese parents are yearning for a proper swimming development system for their children — not just for drowning prevention, but for physical and mental development.

The core difference lies in the development philosophy. CAC is not looking for a coach who only knows how to teach technique. They are looking for someone who understands that children aged 6-10 need a solid foundation — stroke technique, starts, turns, finishes — while maintaining the joy and love for the sport. They understand that dropout rates in the 10-12 age group are very high, and the only way to retain children is to create a positive environment where technique and fun go hand in hand.

In Vietnam, we often see two extremes: either swimming classes focus only on drowning prevention, or talent centers are too focused on results. Rarely is there a place that builds a long-term development pathway, where children learn to swim properly, develop a love for the sport, and gradually transition to competitive groups when they are old enough and passionate enough.

Look at CAC's structure. They have a Head Coach (Ed Cullen), assistant coaches, a Registrar, and an Executive Committee. The Head Development Coach position will supervise assistant coaches, work with the Head Coach to develop practice and competition schedules, inform the Head Coach and Executive Committee promptly of issues, and collaborate with the Registrar to manage athlete records. This is a professional governance model, where each person has a clear role, and all decisions go through official channels.

In Vietnam, many swimming clubs operate on a family or individual model. One coach handles management, accounting, and even pool cleaning. This is not wrong, but it limits development potential. When a club wants to expand, they need a proper governance system, where decisions are made based on data and processes, not on one person's feelings.

Another notable point in CAC's job posting is the certification requirement. They require "current USA Swimming required coaching certifications, including SafeSport and CPR/AED (or ability to obtain immediately)." SafeSport is a mandatory child protection program, established after the 2026 US gymnastics sexual abuse scandal. This is a hard gate: no one can work with children without this certification.

In Vietnam, we have pool safety regulations, but there is no unified and mandatory certification system for children's swimming coaches. A swimming coach can practice without any training in child psychology, pedagogy, or safety. This creates risks not only for children, but also for the development of the sport itself.

I remember interviewing a swimming coach at a sports center in Đồng Nai. She shared: "I learned to swim at age 10, and I teach the way I was taught. No formal training, just experience." That answer made me think. Experience is valuable, but if it is not updated and standardized, it can become a barrier to development.

The most important thing we can learn from CAC is how they view the role of a youth coach. They do not see this as a part-time job, just standing by the pool and shouting commands. They see it as a management position, with responsibilities for curriculum, meet schedules, parent communication, assistant supervision, and even club website development. They understand that a successful youth swimming program needs more than someone who swims well — it needs a manager, a pedagogue, and an inspirer.

In Vietnam, we have talented swimming coaches, but they are often limited by the system. They do not have enough authority to change programs, enough resources to invest in facilities, or enough support from management. As a result, many young talents are missed, and many children leave the sport because they do not find joy.

Look at the numbers. According to statistics from the Vietnam Swimming Federation, we have about 2,000 registered competitive swimmers of all ages. Meanwhile, Thailand — a country with a similar population — has more than 10,000 registered athletes. This difference is not due to physical potential, but to the training and talent identification system.

We need a revolution in how we approach children's swimming. Not just teaching children to swim for drowning prevention — although that is extremely important — but building a proper talent development system, where children learn correct technique from an early age, are nurtured with passion, and are given the conditions to develop into professional athletes if they have the talent.

I see positive signals. Some private swimming clubs in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi have begun to adopt the LTAD model. They divide groups by age and skill level, build long-term development pathways, and invest in coach training. They understand that to have a strong swimming foundation, we need to start from the smallest pools, with the best-trained coaches.

But we need more than that. We need a national coach certification system, a proper children's swimming coach training program, and a child safety management mechanism in sports environments. We need swimming clubs to operate professionally, with clear division of responsibilities and transparent management processes.

And we need to change how we view children's swimming. Not just as an extracurricular activity, not just as a drowning prevention measure, but as part of the national sports development system. Every child learning to swim today could be a future Nguyễn Thị Ánh Viên — or simply a healthy, confident adult who loves sports.

I remember my trip to Russia in 2026, when I asked "Where are the women?" at the World Cup. I went there to find answers, and only found more questions. Similarly, when I look at CAC's job posting, I do not just see a job, but a philosophy. And I ask myself: when will we have children's swimming clubs in Vietnam operating with the same professionalism and dedication?

The answer does not come from the government, nor from international organizations. It comes from specific people — coaches, parents, managers — who dare to think differently, act differently, and invest in the future. It comes from small clubs, where a coach not only teaches children to swim, but also teaches them to love the sport. It comes from small daily decisions — choosing the right exercise, correcting a technical error, encouraging a discouraged child.

The stands are empty, but the voices from the locker room have never stopped echoing. And I believe that if we listen, we will hear the voices of Vietnamese children yearning to swim, to play, to develop. Our task is to create a system for them to do so.

When there is no audience, we truly listen to the athletes. And when there are no medals, we truly understand the value of sports. Swimming is not just about achievements, but about the holistic development of human beings. And that is what a job posting from a small club in Maryland reminded me.

Behind the locker room door, there are stories never told. And I will continue to listen, continue to tell stories, and continue to believe that women's sports — and children's sports — deserve to be invested in, respected, and developed.

I went to Russia to find answers, and only found more questions. I look at CAC's job posting and see a bigger question: How do we build a sustainable children's swimming system in Vietnam? The answer may not come immediately, but I know where we need to start: by respecting the role of coaches, investing in training, and listening to the voices of children.

Where are the women? Right on the field. And where are the children? Right in the pool. We just need to create the conditions for them to shine.