Jumpers for goalposts as ESC locks up La Mare nets
Young footballers hoping for a kick-about at La Mare de Carteret High School’s playing fields during the summer holidays will have to resort to using jumpers for goalposts.
Education, Sport & Culture has moved the school’s goals for the summer and taken them off the playing field to protect against damage.
They will be returned to their regular positions in time for the autumn term.
Almost all the goals were padlocked together by the school’s tennis courts when the Guernsey Press visited the field this week. However, one goal was not locked up.
Residents living next to the field felt sorry for the many youngsters who they said often used the goals outside of term time and would be denied the pleasure of a kick-about this summer.
Jo Le Page, who has lived in the area for 24 years, said the goals had been out for use for as long as she could remember.
‘They’ve always been very popular and lots of kids use them,’ she said.
She appreciated that the goals needed to be protected from damage, but she was concerned about the impact that putting them out of use could have on youngsters when it is known that playing sport and spending time with friends is good for their physical and mental health.
‘It helps give them a focus. I don’t know where they will be able to play with a goal that’s nearby,’ she said.
Another resident, who has lived along Route de la Mare de Carteret for about 40 years, felt sorry for youngsters denied use of the goals, but equally understood the school's decision to protect them from damage.
‘The goals are the school’s, so it’s fair enough,’ she said. ‘They have been moved occasionally in the past, but I can’t remember them being gone for a whole summer.
‘What bothers me is the amount of traffic that builds up along the road when people use the field. Hopefully, that won’t be as much of a problem now.’
Another resident said he often saw cricket and softball being played on the field, and suspected that the goals not being available would encourage youngsters to play other games rather than discouraging them from using the field.
‘It’s a big area with enough space to do more than just play football. I think they will manage,’ he said.
