Soccer is easily one of the most widely played youth sports in America right now, and with the economy the way it is, purchasing equipment might be a little more financially challenging than it was before. The equipment needed for a game of soccer is really not all that much: a ball, shoes, shin-guards, and a goal. What is the most expensive? The goal. Below are a few steps for building a cost effective goal that can be used at home for practice or on a field for a game.
Materials needed (most if not all of these can be purchased at your local hardware store): First, you need a post hole digger to dig holes deep enough to place your goal-posts in. Next, you will need two 4×4 vertical bars and one 2×4 cross bar. Other miscellaneous materials that would be helpful include: a staple gun, tape measure, nails, cement mixture, a net, and a string to tie the net onto the bars. For your bars, you can use PVC, aluminum, or steel tubing (I think PVC is the best because it is the easiest to work with).
According to the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, or FIFA, the dimensions of a full-sized match play goal must be 24×8 feet, so take this into consideration when purchasing your materials and constructing your goal.
WARNING: I suggest that you do not use home-made goals if your child plays on full-sized goals as these can break and potentially seriously harm your child. Instead, it is suggested that you buy competitively priced, professionally made soccer goals from a reputable dealer.
Step 1: The first thing you need to do is get your post hole diggers and dig holes for your two vertical posts. Keep in mind that the stability of the entire goal rests on these holes, so be sure that you dig them well enough and deep enough as to ensure structural stability.
Step 2: Once your holes are dug, mix your concrete and pour it into the holes with the vertical bars in place. I suggest quick drying cement here because it is simple and more efficient.
Step 4: Find a friend! Here you will need to attach the cross bar to your goal, and it will be much easier if you have more than one person doing the job. A ladder might also come in handy, unless you’re Yao Ming, then you might be alright.
Step 4: Choose a net that best meets your needs. A net can be either permanent or replaceable. Make sure that you decide this ahead of time and fasten the net to the posts accordingly. Be advised, this job can be time consuming because of the many connections between the bars and the net that need to be made.
Step 5: Once the net is installed, test it out using a good quality soccer ball and a good quality leg! Make sure to also check the structural stability to ensure safety for you friends and family.
Making a goal is really not as hard as you think, as long as you have the time and patience to do it right!