Question Number: 23264

Kicks From The Penalty mark 5/5/2010

RE: High School Adult

David Hunter of Columbia, SC USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 23244

I understand the substituting for a keeper at KFTPM to determine a winner. Let me clarify my original question. During KFTPM at a high school game, one of the teams used two keepers. FIRST keeper for 1st kick; SECOND keeper for 2nd kick; FIRST keeper for 3rd kick; SECOND keeper for 4th kick; FIRST keeper for 5th kick. They actually alternated the keeper for one team. Has anyone else seen this happen?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi David
There is no reason why this cannot be done in Law but I have never seen it happen. Both players however need to be part of the team and on the FOP at the end of extra time. The referee would need to make special provision for this so that KFTPM are not unduly delayed with the change of goalkeeper ie gloves etc. at each penalty.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

A bit time consuming perhaps, and daffy to boot, but not illegal in any way. I have seen teams change out keepers depending on who is kicking or how many times each has been in goal.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

It's legal, but I have never seen that.

We have one high school team that had had two excellent keepers since their sophomore year (both now are seniors). The team regularly would switch keepers at half-time in every match during the regular season. They would not switch, however, during the post-season. One keeper would be in goal for the entire match. We've also had teams use a different keeper during kicks from the mark than during regulation time.

As the father of a keeper, I know there is a different mental attitude that keepers bring to penalty kicks than field players do. I'm not sure, though, why a coach would switch keepers every other kick.