Question Number: 18075

Law 1- The Field 12/6/2007

RE: Competitive Under 14

Jay of Santa Cruz, CA US asks...

I understand why the goal must be securely ancored to the ground. Most times, the fields are using portable goals, usually not ancored to the ground. (It wouldn't go over very well if I tried to drive a stake into the artificial turf surface.) I know that weights are often used to secure them, especially on artificial turf, but how do we determine how much weight is enough?

Love the site, you gals/guys rock!

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

It's whatever you have to do so that the goal won't fall over. I understand no one wants their pretty artificial turf marred by spikes but if you allow a game to proceed without anchored goals and a player gets injured you're going to look like an idiot when the player's attorney points out the REQUIREMENT that you ignored resulting in an injury. Besides it's not YOUR job to anchor the goals. You simply tell both teams the goals are dangerous and unless they are made not dangerous there will be no game today.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Jay, you determine how much weight is enough by seeing if the goal will tip forward. If it will, there isn't enough weight. If it won't, you're good to go.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

To accomplish the test of seeing if the goal will tip over you must try to tip it over. If it if you can make it move then enough kids can move it. At that point you must fix things.

What will happen is a child will do something incredibly stupid and get hurt, or worse. The child's parents will not believe their child was capable of being incredibly stupid and try to shift the blame to the nearest adult and that's you. You live in California, need I say more?

Never mind, I need to say more. Securely fastened means the sucker won't fall over and kill someone. Take that at face value, the court will and the parent's lawyer will have Law 1 in front of him. From that point forward you are guilty as sin. Me, not securely anchored means NO GAME and that's something you can bet the mortgage on, which in fact you're doing...

Regards,