NAME

#

TEAM

CODE

Q

OFFENCE

SUSPENDED

No new items this week

Duncan Palmer

48

Warwick Wolves

FPF

4

Player headbutted an opponent with whom he was still engaged several seconds after the play ended.

25/01/09 v Reading Knights

Nicholas Barker

77

Anglia Ruskin Phantoms

FPF

4

After the play the player struck an opponent who was not in a position to defend himself.

07/12/08 v Kent Falcons

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

30/11/08

Portsmouth Destroyers

One goal is a soccer goal with improvised uprights, the other a makeshift 6-a-side soccer goal. The surface was very muddy due to a large amount of use of the field, the ball-boys did an excellent job of ensuring good balls were available.

Simon Ryan #408

07/12/08 v Royal Holloway Bears

Kent Falcons

No ambulance or paramedic with sufficient kit and vehicle arrived at the game (apparently a crew were booked and paid for but were not answering their phones). There would have been a kit clash if we played (Kent were in black and Greenwich in dark blue. Kent had a white training kit which they were prepared to lend to Greenwich if the game had gone ahead. Greenwich only have one kit.) Kent did not have 3 legal game balls. Numbers were too small and close to sideline (tops were about 6-7 yards from sideline). Team areas were between the 20 yard lines. No limit lines. Field surface very muddy even before planned kick off time. A lot of people turned up to watch this game (including 3 potential BAFRA members) so it was very unfortunate that there was no ambulance.

Dan Bridgland #506

08/02/09 v Hertfordshire Hurricanes

Cardiff Cobras

Late kick-off (13:45) due to late arrival of ambulance so, with the agreement of both coaches, we played 4 * 12 minute quarters. Plaudits to both teams for a very close game with very few penalties.

Russell Newton #324

08/02/09 v Warwick Wolves

Leicester Longhorns

Field markings faint, NFL hashmarks, only one person for the chain crew, away team had to supply two people for the chain crew. Chain crew did a good job.

Martin Cockerill #345

22/02/09 v Staffordshire Stallions

Nottingham Outlaws

90yd grass pitch with dual markings for rugby and American football and minimal padding for posts. With 3mins 20 secs left in fourth quarter the Lancaster head coach asked for the game to be called following a number of accidental injuries to his players with score 39-0 to Nottingham Outlaws. Crew thank both teams for excellent attitude.

Keith Aldritt #323

07/12/08 v Sheffield Hallam Warriors

U T Cougars

No goal posts. No team areas markings, no nine yard marks numbers 5yrds from sideline. Well done to both teams for what was a great game played in great spirit.

Tony Newsham #302

08/02/09 v Sunderland Spartans

GCU Roughriders

90 Yard field, no limit lines, no coaching box or team area marked out, no numbers on field, no hash marks at inbounds lines or on sidelines. Chain crew reluctantly supplied after kickoff time. No ball boys supplied.

Officials were not paid, the home team management asked for the names of officials to be forwarded to them to allow cheques to be obtained from their university. Apparently officials names were sent on Thursday evening and the finance dept of the University is closed on a Friday so the team were unable to obtain the cheques. BAFRA admin fee also not paid

Henry Richardson #358

25/01/09 v Northumbria Mustangs

Northumbria Mustangs

No team lines, no field numbers. Kick off delayed by 30 minutes to allow a section of the pitch to thaw out and for goal post padding to be located and fitted. No league sanctioned game balls provided by either team so alternatives provided by home team were used on agreement of both teams. Second half kick off delayed as a replacement chain crew had to be found and briefed after first crew disappeared. Officials not paid. Northumbria Mustangs management say they have pre-paid for their first 2 home games of the current season. This was their second home game of the season.

Henry Richardson #358

06/12/08 v Stirling Clansmen

Staffordshire Stallions

Goal post padding only barely met the minimum acceptable standard. It is recommended that the home team improve their padding for future games.

Charlie Dean Young #258

07/12/08 v Leicester Longhorns

Bristol Barracuda

The field was 80 yards long, there were no hash marks and cones were placed behind the back line to allow the ball to be spotted. The goal post consisted of pipes fixed to the wire fence at the changing room end and nothing at the opposite end as a railway track runs behind the field.

The game was played at the UWE Bullets' regular ground at Filton RISE.

Keith Wickham #423

07/12/08 v Cardiff Cobras

  Outstanding items from previous weeks

Hertfordshire Hurricanes

Goal posts were soccer goals with extended uprights.

Pete Thom #200

07/12/08 vs UEA Pirates

BNU Buccaneers

No team areas or coaching boxes. No access to changing room until 45 mins before kick off. Game abandoned with 1.48 remaining in the 4th quarter following an injury to a BNU player and failing light.

Brian Yates #29

25/01/09 vs Oxford Cavaliers

Greenwich Mariners

Field still 94 yards long (despite previous report) with 8 yard end zones. No numbers or 9-yard marks. Coaching boxes too small and no team areas. Field surface undulates, was on a slope and became extremely muddy. Game kicked off at 13.30 due to Southampton arriving late. One of Southampton's balls was used as a game ball (Greenwich only had 2 legal balls). Chain crew very slow. Game abandoned with 0.27 left in 4th quarter due to injury and failing light.

Dan Bridgland #506

07/12/08 vs Essex Blades

Brighton Tsunami

No 10 yard lines, 5 yard lines, numbers/9 yd marks, team areas or coaches areas.
Markings appeared dark grey on green astroturf and were difficult to see. Goals were tied to surrounding fence and thus behind the plane of the endline. Despite this, it was a cracking game played in a great spirit by both teams and was only settled in Overtime - a pleasure to officiate. Plaudits to the players of both teams.

Steve Tonkinson #99

07/12/08 vs Surrey Stingers

Paisley Pyros

With 2:24 left in the 1st half, there was an injury to a Roughriders player. The ambulance crew told us they would take him to hospital, which left no medical cover. Both coaches were consulted about calling the half, the Caledonian coach refused and insisted he would refuse any further requests for shortening the game. The game was suspended between 2:35pm and 3:30pm while the ambulance was absent. We finished the 1st half and went straight into the 2nd half. With 4:35 gone in the 2nd half – at about 4pm – it was decided by the officials that due to diminishing light and concerns for player safety the game should be abandoned. The score at the time was 30-0 to Paisley.

Les Connor #152

07/12/08 vs Sunderland Spartans

ARU Phantoms

Game suspended with 6:30 left in the 4th quarter due to ARU player injury. Ambulance had to leave to take the player to hospital. By the time it would be likely to return, it would be dark. After consultation with the teams, it was agreed to call the game.

Steve Tonkinson #99

07/12/08 v Kent Falcons

Durham Saints

No goal posts were available. At one end the trees were less than 2 yards from the field, this meant we had to reduce the pitch to 90 yards, with 10 yard end zones. In future the pitch should be 90 yard long. NFL hashmarks were marked, so cones in the correct position. No team areas due to no room on one side. The netting for the astroturf came up to the 30 yard mark. Overall it was a good set up, and the game was competitive with good game management. The ambulance was a long way from the field.

Charlie Dean Young #258

07/12/08 v Newcastle Raiders

Sunderland Spartans

No 9 yard marks or numbers, NFL Hashmarks, yard lines only every 10 yard lines, no team areas marked, hashmarks unevenly spaced. No Goal posts. No Yardage markers or Pylons. Field Surface was very uneven and in places very boggy. Grass was very long, and unevenly cut. One game ball deflated during 4th quarter and game management was unable to reflate it.
The changing room was a public changing room. Crew were not paid. Invoice was presented to game management before the game. Crew waited for nearly an hour after the game, when a representative from Sunderland was found – the Head Coach and his partner – they informed the crew that game management had "gone". They also said that they needed an invoice to present to the University. They were informed that failure to pay on game day would result in the fee rising by £25 and if they required an invoice before game day then they should contact the BAFRA Director of Finance.
When the crew departed the venue at around 4:30pm there was no-one from Sunderland around to return the game balls too. One was left with game management during 4th quarter when it became inadequate, the other two balls were left at reception at the sports centre.

Ben Griffiths #228

25/01/09 vs Napier Mavericks

Lancaster Bombers

Game played on an 80 yard pitch with faint blue markings which were hard too see. Field goals were poles attached to fence outside pitch. No coaches area, limit lines or hash marks at sidelines. No pylons, flat cones were used instead. Officials had to wait 15 minutes after the game for the changing rooms to be unlocked.

Ben Griffiths #228

07/12/08 v Loughborough Aces

Huddersfield Hawks

The game was shortened to 10 minute quarters after a delay due to a lack of padding around the posts. The field markings were dark blue and difficult to see against the green grass. The field was slightly wider than prescribed. Both teams shared one side of the field, as the other would not allow for a team area and coaching box between sideline and team area. The chain crew had to be changed half way through the first quarter because of improper conduct - though game management were very helpful and effective in doing this. The referees' changing area is very small.

Tim Vickers #129

25/01/09 vs Lancaster Bombers

UWE Bullets

Field only 80 yards. No hashmarks. One set of goal posts. No team or coaches areas marked. No numbers on field; numbers on sideline constantly blew over.

Mike LeFevre #341

08/02/09 vs Bristol Barracuda

Southampton Stags

90-yard field, 8-yard end zones, goals attached to fence about 2 yards off the end lines. Game suspended for 6 minutes in the 3rd quarter to treat an injured player.

Alan Dobson #308

01/02/09 v Hertfordshire Hurricanes

Note: it is possible that any game may be cancelled, or any team may arrange additional games. In addition, the large number of game cancellations this week means that the fixtures listed here are highly likely to change. Any dates mentioned here are intended only as a guide.

PLAY OF THE WEEK:

New this week

Play: A's ball, 4^th and 12 on A's 48. A15 punts and while the kick is in flight returner B24 touches the ball before it rolls into team B's end zone. B24 – worried that a team A player is about to recover the ball – kicks the ball out of the back of the end zone. Ruling?

Ruling?

Last week's play

Play: A's ball, 2nd and 7, on B's 32. A17 throws a legal forward pass to A84. A84 jumps from B's 24, controls the ball while airborne, and flips the ball to A21 before returning to the ground. A21 catches the ball on B's 19 and advances to B's 14 where he is downed.

Ruling: Legal play. The control and flip of the ball by airborne A84 is considered to be batting. A84 is an eligible receiver and may bat a legal forward pass in flight. A84 did not complete the catch since, in this play, he did not return to the ground. A's ball, 1st and 10, on B's 14.

Date

Event

Contact for details

2008

February 7^th (Sat)

BAFA Board Meeting

president@bafra.org

February 21^st (Sat)

BAFRA board meeting

secretary@bafra.org

April 4^th (Sat)

BAFRA AGM

secretary@bafra.org

April 25^th (Sat)

BAFA Board Meeting

president@bafra.org

May 9^th (Sat)

BAFRA board meeting

secretary@bafra.org

July 18^th (Sat)

BAFA Board Meeting

president@bafra.org

July 25^th (Sat)

BAFRA board meeting

secretary@bafra.org

October 24^th (Sat)

BAFA Board Meeting

president@bafra.org

November 21^st (Sat)

BAFRA board meeting

secretary@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 Johnson

operations@bafra.org

Recruitment

Ben Griffiths

recruitment@bafra.org

Training

David Parsons

training@bafra.org

Director without Portfolio #1

Dan Bridgland

dwp1@bafra.org

Director without Portfolio #2

Keith Wickham

dwp2@bafra.org

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.