Question Number: 15433

Law 1- The Field 5/9/2007

RE: Rec Under 9

John of Woodbridge, VA USA asks...

How can we help prevent soccer goals from falling and killing more children?

Considering your soccer expertise and experience I felt that you might be able to help address this safety issue. Yesterday, another child was killed when a soccer goal fell on him. This is not uncommon and parents/coaches need to enforce the policy that no one plays/climbs on the goal. However, it is the Parks/Clubs responsibility to make sure that all portable goals are properly anchored.

I would like to recommend that USSF modify that part of the Referees' Pregame Field Inspection should include checking that the goals are properly anchored. If not, the game should not be played.

This would at least make sure that the goals are safely anchored during matches.

Can you make sure a recommendation or who do you suggest I contact?

Thanks!

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

John, I am truly sorry this has to happen again and again. Goals falling on participants is going to happen until all figure out if is easily prevented.

Law 1 says this about portable goals:

Goals must be anchored securely to the ground. Portable goals may only be used if they satisfy this requirement

So there it is in black and white. The person setting up a portable goal may not use it until it is securely anchored. The person[s] allowing children to touch a goal that is not anchored is[are] responsible for what happens. The person[s] leaving a portable goal standing after the day's use is[are] responsible for what happens.

It is the policy of US Soccer that a match will not start when a portable goal is not anchored securely to the ground. The referee who starts a match using unsecured portable goals is delinquent in his duty to inspect the field if he is the first to allow play. If he is not the first he and all previous referees allowing this are delinquent. If the referee is unlicensed and allows a match to start with an insecure portable goal is responsible for what happens.

Each club is responsible to ensure each portable goal it uses has a means to anchor it securely attached in such a manner that it may not be lost. Each club has a responsibility to ensure each referee assigned by that club does not start a match with portable goals that are not securely anchored.

A city parks and recreation departments using portable goals and thinking they will always be installed properly is delusional because portable goals will fall down if not properly secured and "people" are to frigging lazy take care of themselves.

Parents who allow their children to climb on portable goals are not seeing to the welfare of their kids, it's that simple. If the parent is ignorant of the fact a portable goal will fall down and kill their child when climbed on must be made aware of this fact.

Notice I have said nothing that's difficult to do, a secret, or is not common sense. Those are the steps other clubs have taken after the worst has happened. It's time for the folks, who could have taken those steps before a falling goal killed another child, to take them. They have their blood priority -- they now know the expense and time needed to properly anchor a portable goal is worth the time and expense.

Nothing I have said here will work unless someone follows actually does the things needed to prevent a portable goal falling over AND someone verifies the work is done.

The last person that can do this before a match starts is the referee. The referee KNOWS not to start a match if the portable goals are not securely anchored and he KNOWS not to do it himself. They anchor HE verifies. Without the anchoring and some verification thereof the match does not begin, REGARDLESS.

Practice sessions are different. The goals are set up by someone usually with help from children and practice time is too precious to do the mundane. The portable goal falls over because it is moved from a resting position and then hits someone.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

John, I suspect that based on your location, you are talking about the incident where a goalkeeper was killed by an unsecured goal while participating in a scrimmage. The story I read didn't mention whether this was simply a portion of practice, or what we might call a "friendly" game. Nor did it say whether or not there was a referee present.

Referees have been, and continue to be, reminded about the provisions of safety on the field, including proper anchoring of goals. Some are lax in their inspections, I know that happens. Most take the responsibility very seriously. I've heard of referees that required coaches and parents to get heavy items out of their cars to weight down the goals or required adults to stand on the goal rear structure to keep it steady.

Most incidents of injury or death occur at times other than when a game is being played. For example, once the game is done and the parents move their heavy items back into the cars, who watches over the field and the unsecured goals? I cannot believe how many schoolyards and playgrounds I have seen with portable goals in them, obviously not secured because they're in a different place every day. I'm sure the coaches involved in this latest incident feel just awful that they didn't take the time to properly secure the goal before the scrimmage began. There will be a program set up now in that club and probably in neighboring clubs to emphasize goal safety. So for a time goals in one area of the country will be properly secured. But then as is common with all human activity, complacency sets in. "Oh, nothing is going to happen if I don't anchor the goal just this once." I'm sure there's plenty of traffic accident victims who said the same thing when they didn't put on their seatbelt, or overloaded the car by having a child sit on an adult's lap. Or operated the piece of power equipment with safety guards removed - remember Ed on Home Makeover?

I'm not sure what the solution is. Humans being humans, we don't think disaster will strike us personally, even though we know all the bad things that can happen. All we can do is try to keep reminding ourselves to act safely.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

No match should be started unless goals are properly anchored to the ground. This is a safety thing and remember the referees primary purpose is to ensure player safety. Law 1 states that the goals should be anchored to the ground. This needs to be followed.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

All goals should be anchored before every game. If they're not - then there is to be no game. It's that simple.