College Season

Pre-paid teams

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

BAFRA debtors

Paisley Pyros have now paid for two games, therefore clearing their debt, and can be scheduled, subject to availability.

The following team still owe BAFRA money and we will not be covering their games, home or away, until debts are settled:

·         Hull Sharks

Charlie Dean-Young
finance@bafra.org

Scheduling Thanks

Thanks to Phil Clarke for carrying out the scheduler's duties during December and January. This week (3rd February) will be Phil's last week as Pete Johnson is taking over for the remainder of February and March.

Game assignments for the weekends of 10th and 17th February have now been sent out by Pete Johnson.

If you have any queries about scheduling, please contact scheduler@bafra.org – the email will be routed to the appropriate person.

Pete Thom
operations@bafra.org

Training Day for New Recruits and Newer Officials 

Update: If anyone would still like to come to the Training Day in Coventry on Saturday, there are a few places left. Remember, the day is open to anyone, but 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. Start 9:30 for 10:00am. 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 

Membership Update

Congratulations to Scott Silver on completing the Induction Training Programme and becoming a Qualified Member. Thanks to Charlie Dean-Young for helping Scott with his training.

Davie Parsons
training@bafra.org

SELECTION COMMITTEE

In accordance with the BAFRA selection policy, can anyone who wishes to apply to join the Selection Committee please contact me.

Pete Thom
operations@bafra.org

Child protection

As I said in my article in Flag Down, BAFRA is beginning a process to ensure we comply with the requirements of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act. We would welcome offers of help from anyone with experience of child protection issues, or of managing the CRB application process.

Jim Briggs
president@bafra.org

BAFRA Disciplinary code

Please note that BAFRA has added two new offences to its disciplinary code. Members are liable for disciplinary action if they have:

·         been involved in betting on any match or competition in which the member has any involvement, or provided information to any other person that is not publicly available in relation to betting

·         sold, offered or exposed for sale, either directly or indirectly, a ticket for a match in excess of the face value of the ticket

I sincerely hope we never need to apply this regulation, but these are items that are likely to be covered by the revised BAFA Disciplinary Code due out in 2008.

Jim.

Rules sessions for teams

If you would be willing to go along and meet with a team pre-season in order to go through the rule changes and answer any other questions they might have, please let me know asap. We are already starting to get enquiries from teams.

Jim
rules@bafra.org

Results

Glasgow Tigers (8) @ (13) Paisley Pyros

Lancaster Bombers (0) @ (30) Sheffield Hallam Warriors

Huddersfield Hawks @ Leeds Celtics

Durham Saints (6) @ (56) Newcastle Raiders

UT Cougars (28) @ (8) Sunderland Spartans

Portsmouth Destroyers (15) @ (24) RHU Vikings

Brighton Tsunami @ Surrey Stingers – game not played

UWE Bullets (0) @ (9) Bath Killer Bees

Plymouth Blitz (0) @ (21) Cardiff Cobras

Hertfordshire Hurricanes (38) @ (0) Kent Falcons

Warwick Wolves (P) @ (P) Tarranau Aberystwyth

Associate Fixture

Oxford Cavaliers (34) @ (0) BCUC Buccaneers

DISCIPLINARY CASES

Name

#

Team

Code

Q

Offence

Suspended

27th January 2008

None

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outstanding items from previous weeks

None

 

 

 

 

 

 

GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS

The crew sent to cover Surrey Stingers vs. Brighton Tsunami turned-up, saw players warning-up on field in the distance and proceeded to get changed. When they went out to the field, they were told by Surrey that the game had been called-off by Brighton. Surrey were disappointed in the cancellation and very apologetic that BAFRA were not told. (Simon Ryan #408)

A plaudit to Scott Silver, who travelled down from Lincoln to Guildford at short notice for this fixture.

Home team

Report

Next home game

27th January 2008

Kent Falcons

No apparent game management.  Inbound lines were very irregularly marked.  Hashmarks on sidelines were often more or less than one yard apart.  Kent did not have their BAFA footballs so we used Hertfordshire's.
Down box marker rod was only half the height it should have been but this was rectified during the first quarter.  The chain crew were three of Kent's cheerleaders and were poor to begin with but improved.
Dan Bridgland #506

03/02/08 v. ARU Phantoms

Newcastle Raiders

The front and rear stakes were made from mops. They were not tall enough and were sometimes difficult to spot on the sideline.
Les Connor #152

Unknown

Portsmouth Destroyers (though technically a Royal Holloway Vikings home game)

Game held at Portsmouth Roko Centre as agreed by league.

Pitch had not been marked since before the Xmas break; cans of spray paint were used in order to mark (very wobbily) the sidelines, goal lines, end lines, hash marks at 5 yard intervals at the sidelines and inbounds.

There were no 5 yard or 10 yard lines, no 9 yard marks or numbers present. No team areas or coaching boxes marked. Both goals were inadequate in terms of width and height, and were completely different at each end.

Phil Clarke #372

10/02/08 v. Brighton Tsunami

Sheffield Hallam Warriors

No five yard lines; inbound short yard marks soon disappeared during the first half; confusing rugby markings near the 10 yard lines.
The game was played with great spirit by both sides and there was no major penalty all game.
Muz Gibson #268

Unknown

Carried forward

Hull Sharks

Hull claim their ambulance charges were increased significantly, to £400, due to change of Service Supplier, leaving them with insufficient balance to pay the Officials prior to sponsorship monies being received.

Richard Samples #349

03/02/08 v. Sunderland Kings

Loughborough Aces

The balls supplied were old and worn. Chain crew and ball boy was supplied by the away team (Nottingham) ten minutes before kick off. The kick off was delayed slightly as there were problems over a security barrier and wet ground prevented the non-4x4 ambulance from getting near the pitch. The medics and equipment were able to relocate to pitch side. Plaudits go to both teams who fought a good game on a well marked pitch – which considering the recent weather was in excellent condition.

Keith Alldritt #323

03/02/08 v. Leicester Longhorns

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

03/02/08 v. Portsmouth Destroyers

Southampton Stags

End zones only 8yds deep. Goals attached to fence which was about 2yds beyond the end line. Chains became detached from stakes twice during game, causing short delays. Two wires stretched across the field about 8ft above the ground. Teams were notified that inadvertent whistle rules would apply if the ball touched the wire, this happened once during the game. Plaudits to Christian, Drew and Gareth who, despite this being their first time doing the job, worked a great game as chain crew.

Jim Briggs #31

03/02/08 v. Brighton Tsunami

Staffordshire Stallions

NFL style hash marks were the only problem on 100yd grass pitch. Cones used to mark wider NCAA type markings.

Keith Aldritt #323

03/02/08 v. Nottingham Outlaws

Newsflash

This week's Newsflash was a Jim production. Dean Wright will be resuming normal service when he gets back from his business trip.

CALENDAR

Date

Event

Contact for details

February 2nd (Sat)

Training Day for new recruits, Coventry

training@bafra.org

February 23rd (Sat)

BAFRA Board meeting

secretary@bafra.org

March 22nd/23rd (Sat/Sun)

BUAFL bowl game

operations@bafra.org

April 5th (Sat)

BAFRA AGM, Coventry

secretary@bafra.org

April 5th & 6th (Sat/Sun)

BAFRA Convention, Coventry

training@bafra.org

April 13th (Sun)

BAFL season starts

operations@bafra.org

April 26th (Sat)

BAFA Board meeting

president@bafra.org

May 10th (Sat)

BAFRA Board meeting

secretary@bafra.org

June 27th-29th  (Fri-Sun)

BAFCA Convention

n/a

July 26th (Sat)

BAFA Board meeting

president@bafra.org

August 9th (Sat)

BAFRA Board meeting

secretary@bafra.org

September 20th & 21st (Sat/Sun)

BritBowl weekend

operations@bafra.org

October 18th (Sat)

BAFA Board meeting

president@bafra.org

October 26th (Sun, tbc)

NFL game at Wembley

n/a

November 22nd (Sat)

BAFRA Board meeting

secretary@bafra.org

Send updates to newsflash@bafra.org

Contacts

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

Alun Price

recruitment@bafra.org

Training

David Parsons

training@bafra.org

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.