Publisher, Southern Soccer Scene
The message that unsecured soccer goals can be dangerous has gotten out to coaches, club officials and facility managers over the past 15 years or so.
However, there is still work to be done to make our soccer facilities absolutely safe for children, many of whom are not actively engaged in playing soccer at the time of their injuries.
Much work has been done by various watchdog groups, consumer awareness organizations and soccer administrations to educate the public, especially the greater soccer community, that unsecured soccer goals can be deadly.
In the 20 years spanning the 1980s and ’90s several dozen deaths were reported. Many serious injuries were also recorded, but many others went unreported so a complete accounting for the number of injuries has never been fully tabulated.
National and state soccer organizations have mandated that soccer goals be anchored to the ground for competitive play, but sadly the problem continues when goals are moved during training sessions and coaches/trainers fail to reattach the anchors[show_disconnected][show_to accesslevel=’Subscriber’].
A number of state legislatures have passed regulations regarding anchoring of soccer goals. That has helped raise the awareness of the danger, but the problem continues.
Reported deaths have dropped to about one a year. In 2012, five-year old Jaedyn Amann-Hicks in Canada died when a collasping goal struck the back of her head. She was not playing soccer, but standing under the goal when it fell.
Accidents have involved teenagers and adults, but also have involved very young children. A number of years ago it was reported that a three-year old died when the father tipped a goal to secure the net at the bottom of the back portion of the goal. It fell forward, striking the child in the head.
These are stories that have repeated themselves over the last couple of decades. Only the names and the situations differ.
Who Is Responsible?
Most accidents that have resulted in legal action, have resulted in findings of liability against the organization/owner of the facility where the goals are located and the accidents occurred, including public parks, schools and athletic complexes.
Because of the amount of educational information available to those who manage soccer facilities, and because leagues and soccer organizations have policies that require secured goals, ignorance of the potential dangers of unanchored goals is a very weak defense against liability claims.
In fact, recently, a court in St. Louis, Missouri, reduced the amount awarded to a young man’s family by 75% as the court determined that his actions were 75% of the blame for the accident that caused his death.
That young man had helped move the goal, and knew it was not anchored, but still hung from the goal and pulled it down upon himself.
Another death that has been documented is that of a 20-year old man who while “chinning” himself on the crossbar pulled the goal over. It struck him in the head, resulting in massive head trauma, and caused his death.
It is important that clubs have stated policies with regards to how goals are secured, and also how they are stored when not in use on the actual playing facility. It is important that high school coaches and school officials be attentive to who has access to their facilities during non-school activities.
It is also important for everyone, coaches, a representative from the club staff and/or Board of Directors, be diligent in monitoring that those policies are followed.
It should be pointed out that clubs/associations should only use commercially manufactured soccer goals, which meet the proper standards for weight distribution, support, etc.
Moving The Goals
Policy is fine, but there are opportunities for the best intentions of any organization to fail when goals are moved around at a soccer facility by coaches/trainers, who then leave them unsecured rather than moving them back in place before exiting the facility.
The excuses are many as to why this happens. But bottom line is that by not taking the time to return the goals to an anchored position, this piece of equipment becomes an “attractive nuisance.”
Coaches should NEVER allow players to jump up and hang from the crossbar. A soccer goal should never been used for “chin ups.” Coaches should ALWAYS discuss the dangers of that activity with their players.
Storage Of Soccer Goals
When not in use goals should be securely stored. When possible they should be broken down. If pulled to the side of the field, they should be chained together, face-to-face, and locked together securely. The nets should be removed.
The message that unsecured soccer goals can be dangerous has gotten out to coaches, club officials and facility managers over the past 15 years or so.
However, there is still work to be done to make our soccer facilities absolutely safe for children, many of whom are not actively engaged in playing soccer at the time of their injuries.
Much work has been done by various watchdog groups, consumer awareness organizations and soccer administrations to educate the public, especially the greater soccer community, that unsecured soccer goals can be deadly.
In the 20 years spanning the 1980s and ’90s several dozen deaths were reported. Many serious injuries were also recorded, but many others went unreported so a complete accounting for the number of injuries has never been fully tabulated.
National and state soccer organizations have mandated that soccer goals be anchored to the ground for competitive play, but sadly the problem continues when goals are moved during training sessions and coaches/trainers fail to reattach the anchors[show_disconnected][show_to accesslevel=’Subscriber’].
A number of state legislatures have passed regulations regarding anchoring of soccer goals. That has helped raise the awareness of the danger, but the problem continues.
Reported deaths have dropped to about one a year. In 2012, five-year old Jaedyn Amann-Hicks in Canada died when a collasping goal struck the back of her head. She was not playing soccer, but standing under the goal when it fell.
Accidents have involved teenagers and adults, but also have involved very young children. A number of years ago it was reported that a three-year old died when the father tipped a goal to secure the net at the bottom of the back portion of the goal. It fell forward, striking the child in the head.
These are stories that have repeated themselves over the last couple of decades. Only the names and the situations differ.
Who Is Responsible?
Most accidents that have resulted in legal action, have resulted in findings of liability against the organization/owner of the facility where the goals are located and the accidents occurred, including public parks, schools and athletic complexes.
Because of the amount of educational information available to those who manage soccer facilities, and because leagues and soccer organizations have policies that require secured goals, ignorance of the potential dangers of unanchored goals is a very weak defense against liability claims.
In fact, recently, a court in St. Louis, Missouri, reduced the amount awarded to a young man’s family by 75% as the court determined that his actions were 75% of the blame for the accident that caused his death.
That young man had helped move the goal, and knew it was not anchored, but still hung from the goal and pulled it down upon himself.
Another death that has been documented is that of a 20-year old man who while “chinning” himself on the crossbar pulled the goal over. It struck him in the head, resulting in massive head trauma, and caused his death.
It is important that clubs have stated policies with regards to how goals are secured, and also how they are stored when not in use on the actual playing facility. It is important that high school coaches and school officials be attentive to who has access to their facilities during non-school activities.
It is also important for everyone, coaches, a representative from the club staff and/or Board of Directors, be diligent in monitoring that those policies are followed.
It should be pointed out that clubs/associations should only use commercially manufactured soccer goals, which meet the proper standards for weight distribution, support, etc.
Moving The Goals
Policy is fine, but there are opportunities for the best intentions of any organization to fail when goals are moved around at a soccer facility by coaches/trainers, who then leave them unsecured rather than moving them back in place before exiting the facility.
The excuses are many as to why this happens. But bottom line is that by not taking the time to return the goals to an anchored position, this piece of equipment becomes an “attractive nuisance.”
Coaches should NEVER allow players to jump up and hang from the crossbar. A soccer goal should never been used for “chin ups.” Coaches should ALWAYS discuss the dangers of that activity with their players.
Storage Of Soccer Goals
When not in use goals should be securely stored. When possible they should be broken down. If pulled to the side of the field, they should be chained together, face-to-face, and locked together securely. The nets should be removed.
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