Elite programme
An elite programme for officiating in Great Britain
Jim Briggs, BAFRA
Introduction
With the BAFA discussion on the National Programme, it is an appropriate time to review BAFRA's plans for developing officials of the highest quality.
Aim
The aim is to establish and sustain a BAFRA Elite Programme (BEP) for officials and officiating. It is founded on the following principles:
- BAFRA members need to have a "career progression" path.
- The best British games need the best British officials.
- We need to provide additional training and opportunities in order to develop top-class officials.
The objectives of the elite programme are to:
- Identify a corps of BAFRA members who by a combination of ability, commitment and potential stand out from the general membership.
- Provide additional training for those officials, particularly in 6 and 7-man mechanics and the interpretation of rules in games played to a high standard.
- Provide additional opportunities for those officials to work in larger crews, in high-profile games and in games played to a high standard.
- Develop officials who can go on to officiate at higher levels, including but not limited to EFAF, IFAF and NFLE.
Implementation
To achieve the above, BAFRA will do all or most of the following:
- Revise its selection policy to include the BEP (by March 2006).
- Establish a BEP panel of around 20 officials (by June 2006). This may rise as the total number of BAFRA officials increases.
- Run additional training clinics each year for BEP members (first in late summer 2006, then twice a year thereafter).
- Develop additional training materials (and reuse ones developed elsewhere) to support the BEP.
- Identify a small number of games each year that will be worked by BEP crews (establish criteria by March 2006). This may include bowl games (more probably BAFL Div 1 than Div 2), possibly a small number of "big" regular season games, international/NP games played in GB, and other obviously high-profile games. The list may grow as the number of BEP members increases.
- Pay travel expenses for BEP members attending BEP training clinics and games (subject to budget).
- Seek opportunities for BEP officials to work games overseas and to work with overseas officials on British games.
- Select GB's quota of EFAF officials from the BEP.
Support
BAFRA will take advantage of its good relationships with other organisations to achieve the above, including the following:
- BAFA support in general, and financial support for specific aspects of the BEP (to be agreed).
- The support of leagues in identifying appropriate games for BEP coverage.
- The support of game management (or other parties) in paying larger crews.
- The support of coaches (and players?) in helping with training, etc.
- The support of EFAF, NFLE, our US contacts and others in providing training and materials.
What we're not doing
We are not intending to do the following:
- Repeat the "National Panel" concept we had between 1990 and 1993 of fixed crews covering all Div 1 games.
- Restrict selection for all bowl games to members of the BEP.
- Keep the BEP a closed shop. We expect there to be a small but regular turnover of BEP members each year.
- Restrict membership to the "old hands" of British officiating. The BEP should include a number of officials who may currently have only 2 or 3 years' experience, but who demonstrate outstanding commitment and potential. Members who are rookies now could reasonably aim to be on the BEP within 2-5 years.
Current List of Members
Those members who have been selected to join the Elite Programme may be viewed on the Elite Programme List page - note you must be a member of BAFRA to view this.
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