Mini Footy Field with Real Rugby League Goal Posts For Televised Backyard Rescue

PILA has been keeping a secret and we were ready to burst with the excitement of it! On Friday with the airing of Australia's A Current Affair (ACA), our embargo was lifted and now we can share that we were one of the contributors to a Backyard Rescue organised by Outdoor Secrets and ACA.

PILA Approached by Outdoor Secrets

When Nathan at Outdoor Secrets approached us in February and told us the story of Brett Johnson, PILA National Sales Manager, Shaun Groves, described it as "bringing a tear to a man's eye". For 4 years Brett has been battling Ewing's sarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer, and now with his 3rd  diagnosis he has been given a 12-18 month life expectancy.

Rugby League Goal Posts

Nathan explained that Brett is a huge Rugby League fan, and in planning the backyard renovation they wanted a mini footy field with real Rugby League goal posts for his one year old son, Jack. When PILA receives requests from clubs for donations of goal posts we are able to refer them to the ever-growing list of grants offered by the government and private sector (see our Funding Available page). In this case we knew it was time-sensitive, and as a family-owned and run company where most of us have young kids ourselves, we felt compelled by Brett's story to get involved.

Brett's Story

In May 2011 Brett found a lump in his jaw that was diagnosed as Ewing's sarcoma (bone cancer). After surgery and 17 rounds of chemotherapy, Brett was given the all-clear and proposed to his girlfriend, Casey. Just a few months later he discovered another lump and before undergoing more surgery, chemo, and this time radiation as well, they were married and soon pregnant with baby Jack via IVF. With another successful treatment, Brett resumed work and life in general, but a third lump appeared shortly before Jack's first birthday. Unfortunately this time the surgeons were unable to extract all of it and advised further treatments were limited. Brett and Casey have not given up and continue to fight.

The Project

Last year the family bought a house on an overgrown block in Brisbane. Friends and family have cleared the trees and debris, but needed help to transform it into a paradise for this gorgeous young couple in their time of need. This is where Nathan and Outdoor Secrets came to the rescue and coordinated suppliers and labourers to complete the project. The big reveal was a heartwarming moment.

Everyone at PILA is so proud to have been approached by Outdoor Secrets and to have been able to contribute to such an amazing cause. Brett and Casey have such a passion for life and an indomitable spirit, and we hope they succeed in their mission of "taking down Ewing's sarcoma".

Why are AFL Goal Posts White?

Most people would be familiar with the Americans' iconic yellow NFL goal posts, however almost all goal posts across the football codes in Australia are white. It begs the question - why are AFL goal posts white?

Unlike soccer where FIFA stipulates that goal posts must be white, the AFL has no such written specification. In South Australia, behind posts used to be (and in some places still are) red, however this tradition is disappearing as the AFL insists every scoring post be white.

For a brief period during an MCG grandstand construction in 2003, the top 2m of the goal posts were coloured "VIP red" to improve visibility against the cranes and light towers. But blink and you missed this anomaly and now the home of the AFL Grand Final boasts PILA's gloss white UV stabilised powdercoated goal posts.

Ultimately, white offers the best contrast against most backgrounds making the goal posts easier to see. For elements that need to blend into the background like barrier netting or sightscreens, black is used. This makes sense as black absorbs light while white reflects it. When shadowing occurs due to overcast weather or artificial lighting, dark objects are camouflaged.

White has traditionally been a readily accessible colour, is colour-matched easily, it does not fade, and it reflects light making it highly visible and hence the perfect colour for AFL goal posts.

Valentine Sports Park Upgrade Featuring PILA's Stadium Football Goal Posts

Valentine Sports Park Upgrade Featuring PILA's Stadium Football Goal Posts

As preferred supplier of Football Goal Posts to Football NSW, PILA sport has been the sole supplier of goal posts and coaches boxes for their Valentine Sports Park redevelopment.

Valentine Sports Park

Valentine Sports Park is the headquarters for Football NSW and its "Home of Football" based in Sydney's northwest. After receiving a $5 million grant from the NSW State Government in 2012 towards the $22 million project, construction began in 2013, with the finishing touches just being completed. The facility now boasts 2 FIFA approved synthetic fields, 2 standard natural fields and an international standard stadium surfaced showpiece field, along with administrative buildings, specialised facilities and upgraded accommodation.

PILA Products at Valentine

In line with Football NSW's requirements, PILA supplied Stadium Football Goal Post Packages and Coaches Boxes for the synthetic surfaced Fields 2 and 3 as well as Field 1, their primary natural field. For Fields 4 and 5, the other natural fields, PILA supplied Senior Semi-Permanent Football Goal Posts.

• Stadium Benefits

PILA pioneered and is the only manufacturer and supplier of Stadium Football Goal Posts in Australia, providing elite competition goal post package suitable for televised games. The unique base frame of the Stadium Goals offers several benefits, particularly for synthetic surfaces:

nets attach to the base frame - no need for pegs to hold the nets down

base frame hinges up and locks into upright position for easy field maintenance

Additionally the package includes the finest nets available plus black free-hanging net supports.

• Coaches Boxes

The sleek design of PILA's Coaches Boxes was the perfect fit for the style of the upgraded modern surrounds at Valentine. They are designed with fully enclosed back wall, sides and roof to offer maximum weather protection and are a secure, bolted-down semi-permanent structure.

World Class Facilities

According to Football NSW's CEO, Eddie Moore, "Valentine Sports Park will serve the local community by offering a state of the art facility for sporting community and cultural events", with kids, coaches, parents and elite youth given access to a standard of facilities previously reserved for the top tier professionals.

Team Work

PILA's staff have been very hands-on with this project, with Managing Director, Reece Wooldridge overseeing the installation of all products and several team members involved in various stages of the project. PILA worked closely with HG Sports Turf, who we also partnered with on the Hunter Stadium project, to ensure that the products were properly installed for the different surfaces.

Grassroots Football

The grant provided by the NSW State Government was the biggest investment in grassroots football in NSW with demands for greater investment across all codes. PILA is passionate about sport and recognises the inherent value of supporting and developing grassroots football, which is why we manufacture a full range of goal posts from Futsal and Junior Football to Stadium Goals, providing goal posts to fit in with any budget.

The Grand Opening of Valentine Sports Park happens this weekend and Football NSW's Kyle Maher has assured us that the goals are "looking great"! Let the experts at PILA help you with your next goal post project no matter how big or small.

Top 10 Tips for Reducing Risk With Goal Posts

It's one of the least sexy things about sport, however risk management is a legal obligation and critical in today's sporting environment and litigious society. Risk management is the course of action taken to reduce potential legal liability and seeks to address potential problems before they occur, creating a safer environment and legally safer operational procedures.

At the top of the list of greatest potential risks in sport is unsafe equipment and facilities. As a freestanding structure on your field, goal posts can pose the biggest risk. This is why PILA sport is dedicated to safety and to manufacturing the safest goal posts - a claim we back with the longest warranty on the market.

Risk Management Considerations

1. Start by purchasing the safest goal posts available - compliant to all applicable standards
2. All timber, PVC and steel goal posts pose safety hazards and should be replaced with aluminium goals
3. Assemble and install goal posts according to the manufacturer's instructions
4. Portable football goal posts must be secured properly wherever they are, on or off the field
5. Maintain the goal posts according to the manufacturer's recommendations
6. Regularly inspect the goal posts for defects and correct any issues immediately
7. Document all inspections, repairs and maintenance
8. Warn against the misuse of the goal posts
9. Portable football goal posts are legally required to display large specific warning stickers per Australian Standard AS 4866.1-2007
10. Use appropriate padding where applicable 

By implementing a risk management program you will make your field safer in the long-term, saving you money and boosting your reputation. 

‘Post’ Christmas Reminiscing - English Football, Goal Post Crossbars and Tim Cahill

PILA's guest blogger, Craig Kahlefeldt, shares his experience of an Arsenal game in England and Per Mertesacker hitting the goal post's crossbar.

Anyone who has had the pleasure of spending Christmas in England will know that the whole place is abuzz, everyone it seems is holding out with anticipation for the big day. Whether it’s because you get to wear the tackiest Christmas jumper and nobody cares because everyone wears one or because you get to throw down a few pints at the local before rushing home to the most amazing dinner of all dinners, I’m not quite sure but even the die-hard football fans are in a good mood at Christmas.

I was the fortunate guest of my English brother-in-law at an Arsenal English Premier League home game at the amazing Emirates Stadium against Newcastle. My other brother‐in‐law was there too and we’re both Chelsea supporters for the record so to be honest we were feeling a little nervous walking into enemy territory. We both made a concise effort to hide our Chelsea loyalty so it was quickly assumed we were part of the Arsenal faithful and seemed safe. Guys were walking passed tipping their hat and we even got a quick nod of the head from one guy with a “you alright, let’s go Arsenal”.

As someone who has attended countless AFL matches involving old enemies Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon and Richmond, I was almost speechless as to how happy the crowd was. Was it because there is only one little group of opposition supporters tucked away in a far corner or was it perhaps that the festive spirit was alive and well? Whatever the reason, I was impressed and totally fine with being an Arsenal fan for just one night!

8 minutes in however when Arsenal's giant German Per Mertesacker hit the football goal post's crossbar with a header from a corner cross, I forgot I was a happy Arsenal supporter and became one of those annoyingly passionate Aussies - just for a moment it took me straight back to Tim Cahill's World Cup ‘goal for the ages’ against The Netherlands when his left foot strike crashed into the net after smashing off the crossbar.

Thankfully I managed to gather myself and for the record it was a  long night in front of the goal posts for the visitors as Arsenal piled on  4 goals to Newcastle's 1. Call it Aussie pride but I can’t help but think our Timmy would’ve made it 5 –1!