NAME

#

TEAM

CODE

Q

OFFENCE

SUSPENDED

Justin Handley

55

Brighton Tsunami

FPF

4

Leading with the helmet against a downed player away from the play after the play was finished.

Reading Knights (25/11/07)

David Saul

36

Sheffield Hallam Warriors

FPF

4

Ran 40 yards and blocked a player who was out of the play

Leeds Celtics (25/11/07)

  Outstanding items from previous weeks

Note: it is the responsibility of the individual teams to ensure that their suspended players serve their suspensions in the proper game (according to the BAFA Disciplinary Code), and any dates mentioned here are intended only as a guide.

HOME TEAM

REPORT

NEXT HOME GAME

18/11/07

Brighton Tsunami

The field had no 5-yard lines and no marked team areas. The changing rooms were not lockable and were shared with the teams. Note, this game was the Brighton @ Royal Holloway fixture which was played at Brighton.

Keith Wickham #423

25/11/07

Loughborough Aces

Chain crew and ball person unavailable until near kick off. No problems with availability of changing rooms.

Keith Aldritt #323

09/12/07

Lancaster Bombers

Pitch was eighty yards long with no goal pylons or sideline hash marks. The inbound hash marks were "NFL style". Goal posts were UPVC drain pipes. The kick off was delayed by twenty minutes as the home team had not prepared pitch nor had chain crew available on time.

Mike Cavanagh #465

25/11/07

Sunderland Spartans

The game was delayed due to Hull's coach breaking down. Kick off was at 1 40pm using a 20 minute running clock with the final 2 minutes of each half run to rule. The balls were inadequate; the 2 balls presented by Sunderland were composite but ok to play, Hull presented a 3rd ball which was to standard. The field markings were haphazard comprising NFL style hash marks, no nine yard marks with numbers at the side of the field, no coaching areas, end zones of dimensions 1 x 10 yards and 1 x 9 yards. There were no goal posts, all pat's were 2 points. There were no pylons and the kicking tee was too high despite the team being warned about this last week. Changing rooms were in a public swimming area with no chairs and no coat hooks. The Sunderland management said that they were not expecting officials, they were asked by BUAFL to provide team officials for this game! Therefore the crew and BAFRA were not paid.

Chris Jarvis #10

25/11/07

Bath Killer Bees

There were two sidelines although the home team put cones on the sidelines used for the game. There were two sets of hashmarks running adjacent to each other down the length of the field. We used the inner most ones as they were more according to rule. Game management were brilliant, crew were paid before kickoff and plaudits to both teams - especially the Bristol Barracudas who didn't give up despite being on the wrong end of a one sided game.

Mike LeFevre #341

25/11/07

Portsmouth Destroyers

Game was played on a 90 yard field with improvised goals. One goal was a soccer goal with improvised uprights the other was a portable rugby goal. There were no yardage markers and the chain crew slowed the pace of the game considerably. The weather was awful (torrential, driving rain and strong winds) and all who were involved put in an exceptional effort to stage the game. The game was also stopped for 15 minutes due to a serious injury.

Simon Ryan #408

02/12/07

Paisley Pyros

A public toilet was situated in the changing room. No ball persons were supplied by the home team. There were no 9 yd marks and the team areas were marked to the 20 yard line. After a late hit by Paisley, the Stirling head coach started shouting foul and abusive language towards a Paisley player. Thirty minutes after the game the crew went looking for home team coach to get paid. She told us she did not realise we wanted to be paid on the day and did not have the money. She told me she would have to go to the student union to get the money during the week. Before the game, the crew asked her if they could be paid before the game, she said she would see if it was possible. There was no mention then that there may be a problem.

Les Connor #152

09/12/07

  Outstanding items from previous weeks

Tarannau Aberystwyth

No pylons. Footballs provided by the away team. No separate changing room. An official's bag was stolen from the team changing room it had been left in prior to kick-off.
Alan Dobson #308

25/11/07

Royal Holloway Vikings

Groundsmen had tried to mark a 100 yard field on a 90 yard rugby field. This resulted in there being fewer than 10 yards between the each 10 yard line, while the endzones were only 7 yards deep. There were no hashmarks at all, 2 cones were placed at either end of the field to indicate where the ball should be spotted laterally. The numbers were less than 9 yards from the side lines. There was no room for the crew to change in – the home team changing room was used after the team had cleared it but could not be used after the game. Crew waited 25 minutes after the end of the game to get paid. Chain crew (except box operator - who was with us) and one ball person changed at half time. Balls and assistants provided very close to kick off time.

Dan Bridgland #506

09/12/07

Plymouth Blitz

The crew arrived late as we had to be met at a previous venue and shown the way to today's venue. The changing room had no light. The game kicked off 40 minutes late due to lack of ambulance. After the game, we waited outside the changing room for half an hour, before the player with the key came down from field. After changing, we were told that the treasurer did not have the money with him. So, the officials and BAFRA have not been paid. It was an excellent game played in an excellent spirit.

Mike LeFevre #341

02/12/07

UWE Bullets

Although an Ambulance had been requested by the University of West of England admin office it did not appear on the day. After consulting it was found that a Doctor was present (the parent of a player) and a stretcher and first aid kit with splints was located. The game kicked off at 1:45 and the quarters were reduced to 12 minutes.

Keith Wickham #423

25/11/07

Huddersfield Hawks

End Zones were six and five yards long. Field boundary lines were extremely uneven. There were no inbounds hash marks, three yard lines, ten yard lines, nor five yard lines. No official balls were provided by the home team - the away team's balls were used instead. Some of problems were corrected before game kicked off. Crew advised the home team to lengthen end zones for future games and shorten the field of play.

Mike Cavanagh #465

16/12/07

Derby Braves

The pitch was only 80 yards and the markings inadequate. The start of the game was delayed 25 minutes while goalpost padding was found, it was decided to reduce the game to 12 minute quarters as a result. Only one match ball was used as the others were old and worn and not suitable. The chain broke on at least three occasions and the game was stopped to repair it. Despite all of this the game was played in great spirit.

Muz Gibson #268

02/12/07

Reading Knights

Reading advised us that they have not yet received their balls from the league, therefore they had to use some of their practice balls for the game. Royal Holloway were asked if they could provide game balls, but they do not have any yet either.

Phil Clarke #372

09/12/07

Glasgow Tigers

No team areas, coaching box or 9yd marks. There was only one nearly new ball, one was borrowed from away team. The officials were not paid until 45mins after the end of the game.

Les Connor #152

25/11/07

Surrey Stingers

Chains had no "heads" on markers. We borrowed some corner flags which we taped to the stakes and this served. The balls needed pumping up quite a bit and the ambulance turned up late – both of which resulted in the game starting late. The officials were not paid due to "university not paying for officials in advance for whole season." - (note, see CDY's announcement above)

Dan Bridgland #506

09/12/07

Nottingham Outlaws

Chain crew and ball person supplied by away team (Derby). The game played by both teams with excellent attitude. We approached the treasurer after the game, he stated that they were having problems with the Student Union and were not able to pay officials. We confirmed that he had the game-day invoice and ensured he was aware of the increased fee which is now payable.

Keith Alldritt #323

25/11/07

Birmingham Lions

Plaudits to Birmingham for yet another fantastic evening of football and fireworks which was enjoyed by everyone.

Muz Gibson #268

02/12/07

Lincoln Colonials

The field markings were inadequate.

Muz Gibson #268

09/12/07

Note: it is possible that any game may be cancelled and also any team may arrange additional games, and so any dates mentioned here are intended only as a guide.

PLAY OF THE WEEK:

New this week

Play: A's ball on B's 41, 4th and 8. A4's punt is muffed by B47 on B's 10. The ball bounces and has broken the plane of B's goal line when A81 bats the ball back into the field of play. A2 recovers on B's 2 while grounded.

Ruling?

Last week's play

Play:  A's ball, 3rd and goal on B's 3. The score is A28-B28 with nine seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. A8's field goal attempt is blocked. A78 recovers on B's 9 and advances to B's 2 where he is downed. The kick does not cross the neutral zone. Three seconds remain on the clock.

Ruling: This is a scrimmage kick that did not cross the neutral zone, therefore it is live to be recovered and advanced by either team. The continuity of downs is also intact, so it will be Team A's ball, 4th and goal from the 2. The clock will stop at the end of the play because it is a legal kick down, and therefore the Referee should start it on the snap (3-2-5).

Congratulations for the second consecutive week to Alan Dobson, his answer excellently explains the ruling.

Date

Event

Contact for details

2007

November 24^th (Sat)

BAFA board meeting

president@bafra.org

December 8^th (Sat)

BAFRA board meeting

secretary@bafra.org

December 9^th (Sat)

Last full weekend of BUAFL fixtures before Christmas

operations@bafra.org

2008

January 20^th (Sun)

Examination Committee Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

January 20^th (Sun)

BUAFL season resumes after Christmas break

operations@bafra.org

February 2^nd (Sat)

Training Day for new recruits

training@bafra.org

March 16^th (Sun)

BUAFL bowl game

operations@bafra.org

April 5/6 (Sat/Sun)

BAFRA Convention

training@bafra.org

September 20^th & 21^st (Sat/Sun)

Britbowl weekend

operations@bafra.org

BAFRA Directors

President

Jim Briggs

president@bafra.org

General Secretary

Paul Sutton

secretary@bafra.org

Finance

Charles Dean-Young

finance@bafra.org

Operations

Pete Thom

operations@bafra.org

Recruitment

Vacant

recruitment@bafra.org

Training

David Parsons

training@bafra.org

Director without Portfolio #1

Vacant

Director without Portfolio #2

Vacant

The opinions expressed in this Newsflash are those of the contributors, and not necessarily of BAFRA or its Directors.

All Incident Reports to be submitted via www.bafra.org.

Deadline for articles submitted by email (newsflash@bafra.org) is midnight Tuesday.