Goal tragedies continue

Exactly one year ago to the week, we interviewed the mother of Zachary Tran, a six-year-old who was killed when a goal struck him on the back of the head in Vernon Hills, Illinois in 2003.

Not long after the tragedy, Michelle and her family founded the Anchored for Safety initiative, which has spread education and awareness on the danger soccer goalposts can cause if not properly erected (www.anchoredforsafety.org)

Unfortunately, this month saw the 34th reported death in the United States from injuries sustained by soccer goals since a database was established in 1979.

Eight-year-old Gabriel Mendoza was playing goalie at the South Mountain YMCA in Phoenix, Arizona on May 1 when he grabbed the overhead bar to swing from it.

Suddenly, the bar came crashing down on Mendoza and he later died in hospital as a result of injuries caused by the impact.

Most of those who have died from goalpost incidents – 27 in fact – were between the ages of 5 and 18, the average age range of children who interact with soccer goals. There have also been hundreds of injuries - some serious - all over the country in that time.

They include a frightening head injury to a U8 player in Lafayette, Indiana in 2004, and another head injury to an 11-year old boy in Bardstown, Kentucky at a public elementary school field.

Michelle Tran's advice is simple but could save lives.

"There is an easy way to make soccer goals safer," she says. "Keep goals securely anchored with pegs or stakes at every use – whether it’s during practice or a game. And re-anchor goals after moving them for mowing or storage. This short-term solution is easy and inexpensive and can help stop completely preventable injuries and deaths.”

In the long term, the family is working on patenting a tip-proof goal with the help of an engineer. They are not sure exactly when this will be available, but Michelle says it will not be expensive.

"In their current design, soccer goals can weigh up to 400 pounds and are top-heavy because the bars are made of metal. While anchoring unsafe goals goes a long way to prevent incidents, the ultimate answer is to revamp soccer goals, using lighter materials and tip-resistant design.”

Photo caption
Zachary Tran