Question Number: 19266

Kicks From The Penalty mark 6/4/2008

RE: g1c2 Under 12

melinda of akron, ohio summit asks...

How many players for a shoot out?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

How many players were in the game as the final whistle blew?

All players on the field at the end of the game, plus any players off the field with the permission of the referee, are eligible to take Kicks From The Penalty Mark (KFTPM, commonly known as a shootout). Normally this means 11 players, but if someone has been sent off, if a player was injured and not replaced by a substitute, or if your age group plays with less than 11 there will be fewer players eligible.

If one team ends the game with fewer players, the captain of the other team will indicate which of his players will not be taking part in KFTPM so that there will be an equal number of eligible players. This is known as "reduce to equate". This takes place only once, based on the number of players at the end of the game. If a player is injured or sent off after the end of the game, the Kicks proceed with an unequal number of players.

Of those eligible players, 5 players from each team will take kicks, alternating Team A and Team B. If at the end of the first 5 kicks the number of goals is tie, we proceed with the next kicker from each team. Kicks continue until one of the teams is ahead after each team has taken the same number of kicks. After every eligible player on the team has taken a kick, the players begin taking a second kick - the order does not have to be the same as in the first round.

If at any time in the first 5 kicks it becomes impossible for one of the teams to catch up to the other, the KFTPM are halted as the winner has been determined. For example, if after 3 kicks each Team A leads 3-0, there is no way Team B can even it up with the 4th and 5th kick.