Zeeahbella Perkins showed off the vertical scar on her midriff, left where surgeons in Invercargill operated, when the Otago Daily Times visited yesterday.
The girl's pancreas and duodenum were cut in two and 10cm of her intestines had to be removed after the goal frame, estimated to weigh 50kg, fell and crushed her abdomen.
School principal John Western said the portable goal frames were chained to a fence at the end of the school field and were no longer used.
"We're investigating with the engineers to see if they will ever be used again. We will only use them if we're absolutely confident this incident could never be repeated," he said.
Department of Labour spokeswoman Debbie Hannan confirmed an investigation was continuing but could not say when it was expected to finish.
Tucked beneath a duvet on the couch in the family's living room, Zeeahbella said she still felt sharp pain from stomach cramps, normally during the night.
She and two friends were playing after school and pushed the bar of the goal frame up. She was not sure why.
"The two girls bailed out and I felt my hands going and I tried to keep it up and it fell on me."
She said she felt a great deal of pain and her friends lifted the bar so she could "wiggle out".
They called for help and parents rushed to assist, followed quickly by the emergency services. Her mother, Angelika Vox, arrived and saw teachers and ambulance officers calming Zeeahbella down.
"I didn't see how severe it was . . . I had complete faith everything would turn out and I stood there giving space to people who knew what they were doing," she said.
Zeeahbella's father Ben Perkins, a former rugby union and AFL coach from South Australia, said he had told his daughter and friends "quite forcefully" in the past not to play on the frames.
"My first reaction was, 'she's tough as nails, she's going to be all right'. That's without knowing anything," Mr Perkins said.
Zeeahbella was taken by ambulance to Lakes District Hospital for an ultrasound examination and assessment. Doctors identified internal swelling and decided to airlift her to Invercargill Hospital for an operation and intensive care.
Her heart rate had peaked at 179bpm. Mr Perkins maintained a bedside vigil, holding her hand, for 22 hours a day.
Ms Vox said: "I couldn't imagine the negative or happy side . . . I couldn't imagine her dying, because I would just crumble."
After the operation, Zeeahbella and her parents were flown to Christchurch Hospital, where she was monitored until last Thursday, when they returned to Queenstown.
Her parents said they were keeping an eye on Zeeahbella's stomach for swelling over the next six weeks because it was common for pancreatic cysts to develop.
She would return to Invercargill Hospital for a check-up on December 19. She would probably return to school for a few hours each day next week.
Zeeahbella said she wanted to thank the doctors and nurses in Lakes District, Invercargill and Christchurch hospitals "for all their kind attention".
Ms Vox said it was a "freak accident" and Mr Perkins said he did not blame the school and did not intend to take legal action.
