Anchor, Check, Respect: The game plan for moveable soccer goal safety

Are you a soccer coach, parent, teacher or kids' soccer volunteer?

Do you work at a school, soccer club or sports club?

Are you part of a soccer association, children’s sporting association or local council?

Death and serious injury can happen if moveable soccer goals are installed incorrectly or when they are used inappropriately. Unfortunately, the victims are often young kids and teenagers. There have been more than 40 deaths and a range of serious injuries worldwide, and at least seven deaths and one incident resulting in the person becoming paraplegic in Australia.

You can help make moveable soccer goals safer by following the simple safety steps below.

Video 'ANCHOR, CHECK, RESPECT: The Game Plan for Moveable Soccer Goal Safety'

Check out the video featuring Melbourne Victory Captain and safe goalposts ambassador Adrian Leijer.

Hazards

Specifically, blunt force injuries and trauma to the head, neck, chest and limbs can occur from moveable soccer goals due to:

• instability
• goals becoming unanchored
• goals with inadequate anchoring
• inappropriate or ineffective installation
• inappropriate use, such as swinging on goalposts or
  cross bars.

Anchor, check, respect – the safety steps

By ensuring that the goal posts are safe, correct and used with respect, they are much less likely to injure.

ANCHOR

Anchor moveable soccer goalposts securely into the ground. It takes 200 kilograms to properly anchor a full size portable soccer goalpost, which equals:

• 10 stakes
• 12 bags of sand, or
• 10 bags of cement mix.

CHECK

Check that your moveable soccer goal is anchored correctly:

• ensure there are no children around the goalpost
• shake the goalpost using both hands and push it from behind
• if the goal post falls, don’t use it until it has been properly secured.

Before every game or training session, test that the moveable soccer goal is properly secured and safe to use.

Don’t use if it’s not safe.

For a more detailed guide on securing moveable soccer goals, refer to the stability checklist on this website.

RESPECT

• Ensure that no one climbs, swings or plays on a
  moveable goalpost.
• Store the moveable goalposts safely when not
  in use.

Injury and death cases

Below are death and injury statistics related to moveable soccer goal posts in Australia and around the world.

• 7 deaths have occurred in Australia since 1986, plus one injury resulting in the person becoming paraplegic.
• 27 known deaths occurred from 1979 to 2003 in the United States as a result of blunt force trauma to the head, neck, chest, and limbs. In addition, a 10 year old boy died in January 2011.
• 49 injuries were sustained from 1979 to 2003 in the United States as a result of blunt force trauma to the head, neck, chest, and limbs.
• Around 120 injuries were treated annually from 1989 to 1993 in the United States as a result of blunt force trauma to the head, neck, chest, and limbs.
• 7 deaths in total have been recorded in the United Kingdom, Malta and Japan.

Survey – what's your experience?

Please take some time to let us know your experience with moveable soccer goals via the survey form.

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