Welcome back to BAFRA for 2008. I hope you had a good break.
Some BUAFL teams have pre-paid BAFRA. If you are the referee for a home game at one the following, contact Charlie (finance@bafra.org) on Thursday before the game to arrange payment:
|
· ARU Phantoms · Birmingham Lions · Bristol Barracuda · Essex Blades · Greenwich Mariners · Hertfordshire Hurricanes |
· Kent Falcons · Loughborough Aces · Royal Holloway Vikings · Surrey Stingers · Teesside Cougars · University of West of England Bullets |
The following teams still owe BAFRA money and we will not be covering their games, home or away, until debts are settled:
· Hull Sharks
· Paisley Pyros
Charlie Dean-Young
finance@bafra.org
If you haven't yet completed it, the online availability form for February, March and April is now ready so please visit the BAFRA website and update your details.
Pete Thom
operations@bafra.org
Update: It looks like we’re going to have another well attended Training Day in Coventry. At present 22 people have confirmed they are coming along, which is really great news. Another positive aspect is that at least 12 of them are new recruits. Remember, the day is open to anyone who wants to come along and it’s not too late to sign up.
Registration: If you intend coming along to the above event, please send me an email to register at training@bafra.org.
Location: Coventry Hill Hotel, Rye Hill, Birmingham Road, Allesley, Coventry CV5 9PH, on Saturday 2nd February 2008. This is the same venue where we held the 2007 BAFRA Convention. For a location map, go to http://tinyurl.com/33jcrj
Please be there for a starting time of around 9:30 - 10:00am. We should finish around 4:00pm at the latest. Tea and coffee will be provided.
Give me a call if you want to discuss the day's programme.
Davie Parsons
training@bafra.org
Tel: 0141 649 5082
If a crew finds itself down below the minimum 3 officials, please contact the Director of Operations and/or Scheduling Officer by phone as soon as possible. While we can't guarantee that it will be possible to obtain replacements, those people are in the best position to know whether spare officials can be found at short notice.
If you want to have an advance look at the rules for the 2008 season (i.e. starting with the BAFL season) you'll find them at http://www.bafra.org/rulesctee/. The rulebooks are currently at the printers and will be distributed at the Convention in April.
Jim.
rules@bafra.org
Lee Baker, Phil Clarke, Martin Cockerill, Alan Dobson, Chris Oates and Nobby Scott have all been appointed to the Flag Working Party.
Dan Bridgland
dwp1@bafra.org
Colin Payne reports that a new edition of Flag Down will be posted to members in a few days.
The British American Football Association are delighted to confirm they are to receive a second award from Sport England via the Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR) for the implementation of the projects identified by the BAFA Whole Sport Plan which will promote participation and retention within American football.
The specific objectives/targets for the project are to deliver more and better coaches, referees and volunteers – and increased participation and retention within American football.
BAFA is delighted to announce it will be amongst the beneficiaries of BingoLotto – a new TV game that will raise money for sport and the voluntary sector.
BingoLotto will be a weekly game (starting on 29th February) broadcast on digital TV channels Virgin1 and Challenge. Tickets will be on sale from outlets around the country and will allow viewers to take part in the BingoLotto game from the comfort of their own homes, with a 1 in 9.5 chance of winning.
For more details on these stories, see the BAFA website http://www.bafa.org.uk/.
If you've ever worried that you may not have got the decision quite right on a measurement, read http://riebecca.blogspot.com/2007/10/adventures-in-measurement.html. You may never look at the chains in the same way again!
BAFL have confirmed that Mark Carter, formerly of Cornish Sharks, has been banned from the league for life for his assault on Lee Baker last September.
Outstanding items from previous weeks
|
Name |
# |
Team |
Code |
Q |
Offence |
Suspended |
|
David Mann |
85 |
Glasgow Tigers |
FGT |
4 |
Head-butted an opposition player during a play.
|
at Paisley Pyros (27/01/08) |
Carried forward. 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 in some weeks means that the fixtures listed here are highly likely to change. Any dates mentioned here are intended only as a guide.
|
Home team |
Report |
Next home game |
|
Bath Killer Bees |
Field of play was only 79 yards long (there was 9 yards between the opposing 40 yard lines and the half way line was badly marked between them). The field was adequate in all other respects so agreement between the coaches to play was ascertained prior to the kick off. Colin Edwards #76 |
27/01/08 |
|
Paisley Pyros |
A public toilet was situated in the changing room. No ball persons were supplied by the home team. 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. All this despite the crew asking before the game if they could be paid on the day. Les Connor #152 |
27/01/08 |
|
Portsmouth Destroyers |
One goal was too wide; both goals had posts that were not tall enough. Graham Coleman #177 |
27/01/08 (per Royal Holloway) |
|
Sheffield Hallam Warriors |
Field 80 yards in length, marked every 10 yards, end zones measured 15 yards from goal line to Posts. Richard Samples #349 |
27/01/08 |
|
Sunderland Spartans |
Inadequate balls; the 2 balls presented by Sunderland were composite but ok to play, Hull provided a 3rd – standard – ball 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! The crew and BAFRA were not paid. Chris Jarvis #10 |
27/01/08 |
|
Surrey Stingers |
Home team provided three balls. Only two were suitable and we used one from the away team. Home team played in dark blue, away team in purple. Chain crew and ball boys changed multiple times. Game suspended 15 minutes in third quarter (which was ended with two minutes remaining and we proceeded to the fourth quarter by agreement of both head coaches) due to injured player. However, in spite of this, and the vile weather, the game was played in excellent spirit by both teams. Alan Dobson #308 |
27/01/08 |
|
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. |
27/01/08 |
|
Warwick Wolves |
Officials and BAFRA fee not paid prior to the game; I handed the invoice to the team president who stated "I'll get this to who needs it". We waited over 1/2 hour after the game but no Warwick representative was forthcoming, so we left. Brian Yates #29 |
27/01/08 |
This week's Newsflash was a Jim production. Dean Wright will be resuming normal service when he gets back from his business trip.
|
Date |
Event |
Contact for details |
|
January 26th (Sat) |
BAFA Board meeting |
|
|
January 27th (Sun) |
BUAFL season resumes after Christmas break |
|
|
February 2nd (Sat) |
Training Day for new recruits, Coventry |
|
|
February 23rd (Sat) |
BAFRA Board meeting |
|
|
March 22nd/23rd (Sat/Sun) |
BUAFL bowl game |
|
|
April 5th & 6th (Sat/Sun) |
BAFRA Convention, Coventry |
|
|
April 13th (Sun) |
BAFL season starts |
|
|
April 26th (Sat) |
BAFA Board meeting |
|
|
May 10th (Sat) |
BAFRA Board meeting |
|
|
June 27th-29th (Fri-Sun) |
BAFCA Convention |
n/a |
|
July 26th (Sat) |
BAFA Board meeting |
|
|
August 9th (Sat) |
BAFRA Board meeting |
|
|
September 20th & 21st (Sat/Sun) |
BritBowl weekend |
|
|
October (tbc) |
NFL game in UK |
n/a |
|
October 18th (Sat) |
BAFA Board meeting |
|
|
November 22nd (Sat) |
BAFRA Board meeting |
Send updates to newsflash@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 |
|
|
Recruitment |
Alun Price |
Training |
David Parsons |
||
|
Director without Portfolio #1 |
Dan Bridgland |
dwp1@bafra.org |
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 2359 Tuesday.