Deadly Goalposts

Did anyone catch this?

http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/pag...Y&pageId=1.1.1

The visual of that net coming crushing the garbage can is pretty compelling.

not for nothin' but - my son took Grade 9 (recreational) ref course last summer, one of the things they did emphasize was the need to check that the goals are properly weighted (sandbags, etc.) or anchored before permitting play to start.

He always checks (even when working a game that is not the first of the day, sandbags could have been dislodged, etc.). And I have seen MAPLE refs check as well.

I did see the TV piece and was very suprised by the ADs who seemed unaware of this issue....

[Joe Mendes]

Even the goals on wheels can tip-over. If you push too hard forward the posts can catch the grass and tip.

The problem is that with the many users of athletic fields, how are schools going to cope with this? You have a soccer practice from 3 to 5pm, then football game at 7pm.

That means that that the school will need to have personell to move that goals into the field, wait for soccer practice to end, then move them out for football. Average season cost may be in the thounsands of $$$$

I cannot see a school being able to budget that. This in turn will create the controversy of the safety of players vs. finances vs. having school sports. Who is going to determine which sports to play?

So what is the answer? Who knows.

Even the goals on wheels can tip-over. If you push too hard forward the posts can catch the grass and tip.

The problem is that with the many users of athletic fields, how are schools going to cope with this? You have a soccer practice from 3 to 5pm, then football game at 7pm.

That means that that the school will need to have personell to move that goals into the field, wait for soccer practice to end, then move them out for football. Average season cost may be in the thounsands of $$$$

I cannot see a school being able to budget that. This in turn will create the controversy of the safety of players vs. finances vs. having school sports. Who is going to determine which sports to play?

So what is the answer? Who knows.

Attach something (2x4) to the front with a weight at the bottom...when it starts to fall over these will fall forward and stop the fall.

[Joe Mendes]

And the 2x4 will hit the player in the head and you will have the same safety problem.

The problem before us is: How and who moves the goals?

Maybe all the parents that complaint about playing time and other topics. They can be at the field to keep an eye on their children and "help" the coach run practices :D

And the 2x4 will hit the player in the head and you will have the same safety problem.

The problem before us is: How and who moves the goals?

Maybe all the parents that complaint about playing time and other topics. They can be at the field to keep an eye on their children and "help" the coach run practices :D

No no...it would be attached to the posts.

http://www.renewablestore.com.au/Con...solarport1.jpg

make pretend the support leg is attached to the side of each post....as the net tips, this swings out and stops it.

[FSM]

Happen to come across 2 posts in other forums that should be added to this one.

Post #1

What would you have done if you found yourself in similiar circumstances? Please indicate whether you are a parent, coach or player.

The same scenario happened to my son about three years ago at an away club match. Got to the field and the goals were not anchored and no sandbags were available (turf field, not grass). I told him to tell his coach that the goals were unsafe and he did not want to be there (he did this) and the two of them went over to visit the center referee.

The center (with the home team coach breathing down his neck) told both of them that if they refused, he would forfeit the match to the home team. No further discussion was permitted on the topic.

The match (fortunately) went off without injury, but it was a very aggressive match that bordered on out of control.

Had it been me as the coach, I would have pulled the entire team prior to it starting in the first place. If the ref had no concern about players potentially being injured by unanchored goals (I too have seen them tip on their own in the wind), it is also a reasonable bet that player safety during the course of the match was going to be of no concern.

Post #2

Should Mass league consider doing the same?

In the Northern Illinois Soccer League, a team found to have unanchored goals forfeits. Both coaches also have to certify by signing on the game card that they have checked the goals subject to a potential fine. To their credit, the league is taking this seriously.

Happen to come across 2 posts in other forums that should be added to this one.

Post #1

What would you have done if you found yourself in similiar circumstances? Please indicate whether you are a parent, coach or player.

The same scenario happened to my son about three years ago at an away club match. Got to the field and the goals were not anchored and no sandbags were available (turf field, not grass). I told him to tell his coach that the goals were unsafe and he did not want to be there (he did this) and the two of them went over to visit the center referee.

The center (with the home team coach breathing down his neck) told both of them that if they refused, he would forfeit the match to the home team. No further discussion was permitted on the topic.

The match (fortunately) went off without injury, but it was a very aggressive match that bordered on out of control.

Had it been me as the coach, I would have pulled the entire team prior to it starting in the first place. If the ref had no concern about players potentially being injured by unanchored goals (I too have seen them tip on their own in the wind), it is also a reasonable bet that player safety during the course of the match was going to be of no concern.

Post #2

Should Mass league consider doing the same?

[quote:3skf0zym]In the Northern Illinois Soccer League, a team found to have unanchored goals forfeits. Both coaches also have to certify by signing on the game card that they have checked the goals subject to a potential fine. To their credit, the league is taking this seriously.

[/quote:3skf0zym]

I like Post #2. Its a basic stop gap that will accomplish alot.

Hayden’s Story
By Mary Ellias, Hayden’s Mom

Soccer goals can be dangerous! They can injure, cripple, and kill. We know first hand. Our son was killed by an unanchored goal.

Hayden was our son and he was Collin and Alanna’s brother. Now he’s no longer here. How do you explain to your children that their brother is dead because a soccer goal was not properly anchored? Unfortunately, this wasn’t freak accident. This happens all too often and most incidents don’t get reported. There have been 32 reported deaths resulting from soccer goal tip overs, most of which occurred at a practice.

It was Monday, May 7, 2007. We left our house rushing out the door yelling at all the kids that we were going to be late if they didn’t hurry up. Dinner was sitting on the stove for us to eat when we returned home. Little did we know that was the last we would see of that life of which we were so familiar. We arrived at the soccer field where Hayden was scheduled to have a scrimmage with another travel soccer team. We barely got the car in park and off he rushed to the field to play his favorite game. I’m not even sure if I said anything to him when he ran off. Maybe I said something like make sure you have your bag or do you have your water? That was the last time I would be able to say anything to him and hear a response like OK Mamma.

Hayden was able to play in his scrimmage in other positions besides goalie. He scored the first goal of the game. As time went on, it was his turn to play goalie. This was nothing unusual as he shared the position of goalie with another player. Hayden had made a couple of saves in the short time he was in goal. Then came the last play we remember, Hayden saved a goal and kicked the ball to the other end of the field. It was such a nice, high kick that all eyes were on the ball. That’s when my family’s world was turned upside down. There was a noise that didn’t quite register, but I turned towards the noise, as did everyone else at that moment. What I remember seeing was our son lying face down lifeless on the ground.

I watched in slow motion as my husband, Greg, ran to him. I saw Collin running toward me crying, and Alanna looking to see what was going on. I held them close telling them it would be OK. I vaguely remember dialing 911 to tell the dispatcher my son was on the ground and a goal fell on him. I don’t think at that time I truly understood what was happening. I remember the looks on people’s faces around me, reading every one of them, I knew it was serious. They tried to stop me from going to him, but I knew he needed his Mommy. When I got to Hayden, Greg was covered in his blood, and others were franticly helping. I could hear what sounded like echoes of people saying things like “he’s not breathing,â€￾ “I don’t have a pulse!â€￾ Then as clear as the day I heard Hayden cry when he was born, I heard a silence. Greg, who is a registered nurse, looked up to me and said, “it’s bad Mary, it’s real bad!â€￾

Greg rode in the ambulance with Hayden to the hospital. Another parent, an off duty police officer, drove me. Other friends took Collin and Alanna home where my best friend awaited their arrival. On the ride to the hospital, I made as many calls as I could to inform friends and family of Hayden’s incident. When we arrived at the hospital, it was as though my legs forgot how to walk. I finally walked in the hospital with the help of Brian, the officer. I was greeted by one of Hayden’s teammate’s mom whose face spoke a thousands sorrows. She stayed with us as I was escorted to a special room. That is where I saw Greg sitting on a couch, helpless, his arms being washed of Hayden’s blood by a nurse that was there at the field with us. I heard him remind another nurse that Hayden would need some blood as he lost a lot on the field. I knew in that moment what I was going to hear the doctor say. It was less than 1 hour from when the goal tipped over that the doctor entered our room and told us our son, Collin and Alanna’s brother, had died.

That’s the story we relive every day of our lives. With that story is the knowledge that if the soccer goal had been properly anchored or designed not to tip over, we would still have our precious Hayden and his warm smile. We were ignorant to the danger even though we walked right next to a goal that evening.

I have since learned how many of these accidents have occurred. It’s our mission, “Hayden’s Goal,â€￾ to spread the word about anchoring goals and using non-tipable goals. Referees, coaches, managers, players and especially parents need to know what they can do to prevent another tragedy like Hayden’s.

As parents, we know it’s our job to protect our children everyday. Why should this be any different? If you have read this story, you now know how terribly wrong things can go when simple measures aren’t followed. It is our duty as referees, coaches, managers and parents to ensure safety on the soccer field.

We should empower our children with the knowledge of soccer goal safety. Let them know they have the right to speak up and tell a coach if they feel a goal is not properly secured. Let the coaches know to heed their warning. This is their precious life we are talking about, and no game, no practice is worth risking their safety.