ASTM F1938-98(2004)

This guide presents directions for the installation, use, and storage of full-size or nearly full-size movable soccer goals. It is expected that these guidelines can help prevent deaths and serious injuries resulting from soccer goal tipover. These guidelines are intended for use by parks and recreation personnel, school officials, sports equipment purchasers, parents, coaches, and any other members of the general public concerned with soccer goal safety. These guidelines are intended to address the risk of movable soccer goal tipover. In designing soccer goal, the following may be considered: use of a counterbalancing strategy by lengthening the over all depth of the goal to effectively place more mass further from the goal's front posts, selection of light materials for the goal's front posts and crossbar and provides much heavier materials for the rear ground bar and frame members, use of a heavy rear framework and folds flat when not in use, making the goal much less likely to tip over. Securing soccer goals may be done in several ways. The number and type of anchors to be used will depend on a number of factors, such as types of playing surface, soil type, soil moisture content, and total goal weight. These anchor types shall include: Auger-Style Stake which is helical in shape and is screwed into the ground, Peg- or Stake-Style Stake which varies in lengths and diameters, J-Hook-Shaped-Stake Style which varies in lengths and diameters and its curved-top portion is designed to fit over goal members to secure it to the ground, and All-Stakes styles in which a minimum of two stakes must be used for each goal. Sandbags or other counterweights could be an effective alternative to anchors on hard surfaces, such as artificial turf, where the surface cannot be penetrated by a conventional anchor, that is, an indoor practice facility. Also a semipermanent anchor type may be used which is usually comprised of two or more functional components. The main support requires a permanently secured base that is buried underground. One type of semipermanent anchor connects the underground base to the soccer goal by means of two tethers. Another design utilizes a buried anchor tube with a threaded opening at ground level. Net pegs may be tapered, metal or plastic stakes, or both, and should only be used to secure the net to the ground.