Boy's concussion from toppled soccer goalpost shows coaches need more safety training, father says

A Calgary father wants more safety training for soccer coaches after his son suffered a concussion when he was struck in the head by a net that tipped over.

Henry Ochoa's son, 12-year-old Gabriel Ochoa, was warming up for a soccer game when he says the wind toppled the goalpost, which struck him on the back of the head.

Gabriel says he felt sick but went on to play, then beganseeing double balls coming at him.

"They just like split apart and I didn't know which one to go for," he said.

His parents brought him to a hospital and were told Gabrielhad suffered a concussion.

"We're lucky, I got my son just with a mild concussion. Like, this could be a tragic thing," said Ochoa, who is a volunteer coach for his son's team.

Last month, a 15-year-old boy in Ontario died after climbing onto a goalpost which then tipped over onto him.

Ochoa worries something similar could happen to other players.

"Not just my son, but our kids in our soccer community, that I don't want this to happen," he said.

"I'm shocked, I'm still like ... I'm thinking, 'oh my God, the net, how it fell, like how quickly a net can just come ... and hit somebody or pin somebody."

'There has been a gap somewhere'

The Alberta Soccer Association says the team's coaches are responsible for ensuring all nets are properly pinned into the ground before kids go on the field.

Executive director Richard Adams says coaches are trained on how to secure goalposts, but acknowledges more education is needed to make sure they all check before kids take to the field.

He said a reminder will go out to all coaches that they must inspect the goalposts before games.

Thisis the first time Adams has heard of a related injury in Alberta.

"There's been a gap somewhere," hesaid. "It needs to start with us ... trying to improve the messaging."

CBC News has reported on atleast three other childrenbeing killed by falling soccer nets in the past 15 years.

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