Courtesy runner

[nonothingcoach]

NSA girls youth FP:
Catcher makes last out of previous inning; first player up in next inning is pitcher, who gets aboard safely. Coach inserts a courtesy runner, who is not the catcher (the girl who made the last out of the previous inning)but, instead, the girl who proceeds the catcher in the line-up. Umpire ruled it a correct subsitution.

1) Is this allowed? Can one go to the player immediately preceding the catcher, if the pitcher and catcher bat back-to-back?
2)Assuming only a roster of 9 players, does the courtesy runner have to be the last out of the previous inning, even if it is the catcher?