Question Number: 34336

Kicks From The Penalty mark 9/13/2021

RE: Varsity High School

Derek of Cary, IL USA asks...

Penalty kicks to determine a winner:
One team only has 9 available players at the end of regulation/OT. If I am reading the rulebook right, 1 player from the first 5 kicks can take a second kick during the next 5 kicks, and could take either the 6th or 10th kick or any in between. If it is still tied after 10 kicks, could that 1 player take his third kick during the next 5 kicks, or does the rest of the team need to have their second kick before or during the set of 5 kicks with the 1 player who takes his third?

The rule states that the coach must select 5 players who did not take a kick in the previous set of kicks, but can choose players who did in order to fill the remainder of the 5 slots. Does this mean that if a team is down to 9 or less players, could a single player participate in every set of 5 kicks until the end?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Derek.
equal opportunity all must go 0nce before ANY go twice and all go twice before any go thrice!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Derek,
As I read the NFHS rulebook, it seems fairly clear that a player who has taken one of the first five kicks may not take another kick until every other eligible player has taken one.

The wording is as follows:

"If a team has fewer than ten available players at the end of the first set of kicks from the penalty mark due to either injuries or disqualification, the coach must use all players who have not participated in the first five kicks."

Based on this wording, in the scenario you describe where there are only nine penalty takers, the earliest one of the first five kickers could take a second kick would be on the 10th kick.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Derek
Your interpretation is incorrect.
All players of the nine must take a penalty kick before a player can take a second kick.
The relevant section states
** If a team has fewer than ten available players at the end of the first set of kicks from the penalty mark due to either injuries or disqualification, the coach must use all players who have not participated in the first five kicks. The coach may choose additional players from the first five kickers to ensure that five different players participate in the second set of kicks.**

The key phrases are must use all players who have not participated in the first five and ensure that five different participate so that has to be the four or less not listed by the coach. The wording could be better by tidying up the phrase so when it states **from the first five kickers**. it means to exclude the five not to include. To include that five would invalidate the final part of the sentence of using five different players in the second set.
In my opinion *from* should be replaced with *other than* which would make it much clearer.