Question Number: 19110

Law 3 - Number of Players 5/16/2008

RE: Rec Under 13

Killian Martin of thiensville, wisconsin USA asks...

For during the regulation time of a game for a penalty kick can you switch goalies just for the penalty kick.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Whenever there is a stoppage in play, the goalkeeper may change positions with another field player. Many youth rules have restrictions on when a substitution may be made. But this is not a substitution, and I have yet to see any youth rules that put a limit on switching the keeper with another player on the field. The new goalkeeper has to put on at least a jersey to indicate her special status. If the original keeper is not dressed to play as a field player, she will have to leave the field to correct her equipment, and may reenter at the next stoppage when the referee can examine her uniform.

Now, can you switch just for the penalty kick? Only if the ball goes out of play on the PK, or if they score! The foul that created the PK is a stoppage, so you can switch keepers then. If the ball stays in play - if your new preferred keeper makes the save - she will have to remain as keeper at least until the next stoppage in play.

There wouldn't be any teams out there that wanted to switch players just to try to eat up the clock, would there? The referee who is savvy enough to realize this is not a substitution will also realize that she should liberally add time to make up for the delay in switching goalkeepers.

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