It was a year ago Wednesday that an un-anchored goal took the life of Stephens City youngster, Hayden Barnes Ellias, and though 365 days have passed...the pain has not. "It feels like we lost Hayden just yesterday" says his mother Mary Ellias "it's a struggle every day but we do it because we know we must go on."
Just last week an 8 year old boy in Phoenix, Arizona died when a soccer goal tipped over on him, a local television news website called it a "freak accident", but soccer goal deaths are preventable. A properly anchored goal is virtually impossible to tip over, and unfortunately since 1979 there are 34 soccer goal related deaths on record in this country, proving tragedies like the one that took Hayden aren't freak at all. "This really hit home" explained local referee Wilson Gilbert. "8-9 years ago my daughter was playing and the goal tipped over and hit her in the back of the head, fortunately she wasn't injured but it's something that not only as referees, but as parents, we need to make sure safety is of the utmost importance."
In the year since Hayden's death some changes have been made within the soccer community. In speaking with coaches and referees we found that the memory of that fateful day, a year ago, has them more aware than ever of goal safety.
"It's definitely a priority" says youth coach Mike Koper. "everyone associated with teams should be aware of how to make sure everything is secure."
As part of this story, TV3 visited 17 schools across the northern Shenandoah valley, we found 37 goals, all secure, with the exception of two at Warren County High School, where Athletic Director Jim Grooms took immediate action.
"We moved them and chained them up." said Grooms "The ones we'll have there next year are the combo goals(non-portable). The only portable goals we'll have are the ones on our game field for soccer and we anchor them down as soon as we put them in."
So what exactly constitutes a safe goal? It's simple as this, you get a nice heavy sandbag and your goal is on the way to being secure. The most important part is the anchor, even pulling as hard as you can, you shouldn't be able to get th anchor up out of the ground. Finally, there's the litmus test. Push against the goal, don't pull, if the goal doesn't budge it's secure. With an un-anchored goal, it can take as little as 22 pounds of force to tip the goal over.

Hayden's family has shown exceptional strength as they continue to champion goal safety... and it all stems from a promise between a mother and her son.
"I stood over him before they took him away" recalls Mary, "and I promised him that his death wouldn't be in vain. It's what Hayden would have wanted from us."