Haiphong Sports Center Swimming Development Program: Organizational Structure and New Vision

Hook: An Unusual Number

At the 2026 National Phu Dong Sports Festival, the Haiphong delegation won 12 swimming gold medals, double the previous edition. This result was not a stroke of luck. Over the past three years, the Haiphong Sports Center has quietly built a tightly organized swimming team management model, with a pathway from talent selection to national team level. The story behind the numbers is what matters.

Context: Data Method and Process

This system is built on the Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) framework of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, combined with modern management principles from professional sports club models. The Center adopted a “unified coaching philosophy” approach – all coaches, from talent selection to national team, use the same technical terminology, curriculum and evaluation criteria. This minimizes methodological conflicts when athletes move up.

According to internal documents, the Center currently has about 150 regular training athletes, divided into four levels: Basic Selection (8-10 years), Talent Group (11-13 years), Junior Team (14-17 years) and National Team (18+). Each group has a head coach who reports directly to the Center Director. There is a special position – Assistant Director for Swim Team Development – responsible for linking groups and ensuring consistency in athlete pathways.

Core: Data Evidence Chain – Organizational Structure and Performance

Hierarchical Leadership Model

The Center has established a clear leadership structure: - Center Director – responsible for overall strategy. - Assistant Director for Swim Team Development – reports directly to the Director, responsible for daily operations of the entire swimming program. - Head coaches for each level – responsible for technical expertise.

A dotted-line reporting relationship is applied: the Assistant Director has direct authority over age-group coaches but is not in the administrative chain. This creates flexibility in professional management without disrupting the administrative structure.

Athlete Development Process

The Center applies a “personalized roadmap development” process for each athlete. First step is baseline assessment through standard tests: stroke rate measurement, breathing frequency, energy efficiency (via lactate blood test), and underwater distance after start. Data is entered into an internal tracking system.

Each athlete has an electronic “development profile” recording monthly progress. Training sessions are designed based on this data: if an athlete’s stroke rate is too low (below 0.8 cycles/sec in 100m freestyle), the coach will focus on stroke frequency drills rather than strength building.

Testing and Evaluation

According to documents, the Center conducts standard tests on a fixed schedule: pre-season (September), mid-season (January) and end-season (April). Tests include: - Max speed tests (50m, 100m). - Anaerobic endurance tests (200m, 400m). - Technique tests (underwater video analysis). - General physical fitness tests (standing long jump, shuttle run).

The strength of this process is objectivity: test data is compared with national and international standards, giving coaches a basis to adjust training plans.

Recruitment and Retention Strategy

The Center has implemented a multi-channel recruitment strategy: 1. From the Center’s regular swimming classes (about 500 students per session). 2. From grassroots competitions at district levels. 3. From summer swimming programs and recreational swimming groups. 4. From external relationships (private clubs, schools).

Each year, the Center organizes two recruitment camps, attracting about 300-400 candidates. Of these, about 30-50 promising athletes are placed in the talent group. Exceptional athletes are later promoted to the junior team.

For Coaches

The Center places special emphasis on coach development. Each coach is required to attend at least two professional training courses per year. They are also encouraged to apply for national and international coaching seminars. A notable point is that the Center requires coaches to hold a swimming coaching certificate issued by the General Department of Physical Education and Sports, and have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Sports Science.

Budget and Financial Management

Although specific figures are not available, internal documents show the Center operates mainly from state budget and partly from participant fees. The Assistant Director is responsible for annual budget planning, including pool rental costs, equipment purchases, coach salaries and competition organization costs. Financial transparency is ensured through periodic reports to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Contrarian: Correlation is not Causation

Many believe Haiphong’s swimming performance surge is due to large budget investments. But data shows the Center’s budget only increased 15% over three years – insignificant compared to the nearly 100% performance growth. The real cause lies in organizational consistency and personalized tracking processes.

Another notable point: although the Center has a “national team” model, in reality it is a center-level team, not the official national team. Terminological confusion may lead to inflated public expectations.

Takeaway: Signal for the Next Cycle

The Haiphong Sports Center model is a strategic step toward professionalizing high-performance sports management at the local level. With clear leadership structure, data-driven athlete development and multi-channel recruitment strategy, this could become a template for other sports centers nationwide.

However, sustainable success depends on maintaining coach quality and talent retention. The question remains: can the Center scale up without compromising quality? And if the budget is cut, is the system flexible enough to adapt? The numbers will continue to speak, but we need to also hear the sighs of obscure athletes out there.

"Numbers speak, but no one asks how many times they have cried."