News Release

Youth Soccer Month Means Having Fun Safely
9/14/2007

September is Youth Soccer Month, and along with celebrating the fitness, fun, family involvement and friendship of the sport, we also need to take notice of the safety issues.

Two very important aspects of the sport often get overlooked or discounted: anchoring goals and lightning dangers.

Every year, dozens of young soccer players are injured by goals which tip over on them. The temptation to swing on the crossbar is indisputable, but goals tip over for even less of a reason than pulling on them. Because fields are at a minimum, most parks and soccer clubs try to make the best use of their space by moving goals around during practices. These constant movements of goals can result in two immediate dangers. First, in moving or transporting the goals, players have been injured by sharp edges on the goals or even by dropping them on legs and hands. Second, once the goal is set, if it is not anchored, then the goals can be pulled, pushed, or fall over. If a player is in front of the goal, then they risk severe injury and, in the case of several players this year, death.

Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association has the following policy concerning goals. All goals should be properly anchored at all times during practices, scrimmages, and events, even if not being used, since anyone near the goal could be endangered by an unanchored goal. If anchored with stakes, the stakes should be even with the ground to avoid any injury to those walking by. If anchored with sand bags, the weight should be sufficient to prevent any tip over. Rough edges, flaking paint, and broken or bent bars should be repaired. At no time should anyone "hang" from the crossbar of any goal. At no time should children move goals.

The second important safety issue is lightning. Some facilities have lightning detectors, but since those are not very widespread, the old rule of thumb still holds. If lightning can be seen or thunder heard, all open field activity should cease, and players, parents, and coaches should seek shelter. According to the National Lightning Safety Institute safety slogan - "If you can see it, flee it; if you can hear it, clear it." Do not return to the field until it has been 30 minutes since the last thunder and/or lightning. On average 90 people are killed every year by lightning - that's nearly two per state - with 275 average injuries per year. These are easily prevented by respecting lightning. Wisconsin Youth Soccer supports the standards of the NLSI and requests that all coaches, clubs, and tournament directors follow the simple guidelines to insure the safety of our players.

For more information on either of these safety factors, you can visit www.anchoredforsafety.org and www.lightningsafety.com.