Special Report: Safety Net

They're trying to bend it like Beckham. Thousands of Bay State kids have their heads into soccer right now. But are these youngsters playing with danger?

Doug McLaughlin
"We're here for fun; we certainly don't need anyone to be injured."

But kids are getting injured. The cause? Unanchored soccer goals.

And 7News found unsafe goals on many local fields, like this one in Cambridge.

Jonathan Hall, 7News
"Have you heard they're supposed to be anchored?"

Bob Binstock, Soccer Coach/Parent
"Well I hadn't heard that, but it makes sense to me."

At this field in Watertown, warning stickers serve as a reminder to secure the goal. But with no anchors in place, the game goes on.

Here in Brookline, just feet away from unanchored goals we find two sandbags that could be used as anchors. It's only after he sees our cameras this coach remembers what should have already been done.

Jonathan Hall, 7News
"So you saw me out here messing with your goal and it was like oh yeah, that's right."

Greg Yannekis, Soccer Coach/Parent
"Yeah, they're supposed to be part of the process here. Whoever sets up the first game is supposed to make sure."

At a field in Belmont, a coach tells us he's seen this danger before at another field.

Bill Niland, Soccer Coach/Parent
"The kids were warming up in the middle of the field and all of a sudden we turned and looked and a gust of wind had blown the net over down at the far end of the field."

And watch back at the field in Belmont as kids turn soccer goals into jungle gyms.

Jonathan Hall, 7News
"What's the attraction?"

Soccer Player
"Just hanging on them, it's fun."

The soccer goals here are anchored. But, that wasn't the case for 6-year-old Zachary Tran, who was killed when an almost 200-hundred pound goal cage toppled over, hitting him on the head. His mother says this never should have happened.

Michelle Tran, Zachary's Mother
"We just think that these are so preventable which is what breaks our hearts the most about losing Zach."

In Massachusetts, the owner of the soccer goals, whether that's the town or the local soccer club, should provide anchors. And then, it’s up to the referees.

John Burrill, Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association
"It is the referee's responsibility to make sure that field is safe to play. With the goals not secure, the referee should say we are not playing until we can secure those goals."

But many referees, just high school kids themselves, say that's not always possible.

Jonathan Hall, 7News
"Does the league tell you anything about anchoring the nets?"

Soccer Referee
"They've told us that it's better if we do, but they didn't provide any means of anchoring them."

The best advice for parents - be pro-active and check for proper anchoring before your kids take the field. This way you can give your little soccer star an important "Safety Net."

Soccer coaches should always make sure the goals are anchored during practices, too.

(Copyright (c) 2008 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)