Volunteer

Once a name has been drawn at a reaping, anyone else of reaping age and the same sex may step forward and take that tribute's place. The escort asks for volunteers, someone says so out loud, and the exchange is final: the person whose name was called cannot refuse it or take the place back. In most districts nobody comes forward, because a reaped child is generally understood not to be coming home. In the districts where children train for the Games, volunteering counts as an honor, and the right to do it can be competitive enough to need rules of its own.