CONVENTION COUNTDOWN

62 and counting

We now have 62 people registered to attend the Convention – this will be our largest attendance for quite a number of years. It also looks like a lot of people have opted to travel to the hotel on the Friday as 30 people have already booked accommodation for the night.

Convention Programme

The Programme of Events will be issued along with next week's Newsflash. As well as our guest speaker Greg Gautreaux we have a large number of experienced presenters lined up, namely Brian Yates, Graham Coleman, Steve Tonkinson, Pete Thom, Pete Parsons, Phil Clarke and Jim Briggs. Between them all they have well over 150 years officiating experience.

Volunteers

I need a few volunteers to help out during both days of the Convention to make sure everything runs smoothly. This will involve moving everyone around between Break-Out Sessions, staffing the Sign-In Desk and also keeping the programme on schedule. Drop me an email if you can help.

Registration

The following 62 members have booked their places at the Convention. If you are not listed it may be because you have only recently confirmed your place. An updated list will be issued next week.

K Aldritt, A Allen, B Beynon, E Bloxam, B Bradley, D Bridgland, J Briggs, S Briggs, A Brooks, M Cavanah, P Clarke, L Clissett, G Coleman, L Connor, N Cox, I Davies, A De Val, C Dean-Young, A Dobson, J Eldridge, B Fitzsimmons, G Galloway, G Gautreaux, C Gibson, MT Gibson, Mz Gibson, R Grace, D Graves, B Griffiths, I Griffiths, C Jarvis, P Johnson, T Linderman, A Lovell, J Mallia, W Marriage, A Newsham, R Newton, T Ockendon, C O'Connor, C Olson, P Parsons, D Parsons, R Prattley, A Price, H Richardson, S Ryan, R Samples, N Scott, S Smith, I Sneddon, M Snow, L Sowden, P Sutton, A Tagg, P Thom, S Tonkinson, C Urin, K Wickham, C Willox, M Wilson, and B Yates.

If your name is not on the list and you want to register, please contact Charles Dean-Young at finance@bafra.org. Remember, even if you are not staying at the hotel you still need to register.

Full details of the Convention and accommodation rates can be found at the following link: http://www.bafra.org/newsflash/2009/200903.htm

Davie Parsons

training@bafra.org

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Nominations for Director Posts

Davie Parsons has rescinded the notice he gave that he would stand down as Director of Training following the AGM. As his term of office runs to the AGM in 2010 there is no longer a vacancy for Director of Training to be filled at the 2009 AGM.

The final list of nominations for the Director posts to be elected at the 2009 AGM is as follows.

Director of Finance: 1 nomination

Andrew Lovell (#559); proposed by Charles Dean-Young (#258); seconded by Keith Alldritt (#323)

Director of Operations: 1 nomination

Pete Johnson (#166); proposed by Steve Tonkinson (#99); seconded by Paul Sutton (#312)

Director of Recruitment: 1 nomination

Ben Griffiths (#228); proposed by Mark Snow (#430); seconded by Tony Newsham (#302)

Director without Portfolio #2: 1 nomination

Steve Tonkinson (#99); proposed by Graham Coleman (#177); seconded by Pete Johnson (#166).

As all of the nominations are uncontested, the above named will be deemed elected unopposed on 4th April, they will assume their new terms of office immediately following the AGM.

Papers for the AGM

Whilst only qualified members are entitled to vote at the AGM, all members are welcome to attend. I will therefore be sending out an agenda and supporting papers this week to all members. Qualified members will receive a proxy form which entitles them to appoint a proxy to vote for them if they are unable to attend (should there be any items on which a vote is taken at the meeting). Instructions for completion and return of the form are found on it.

Finally, there will be an opportunity to question the existing Directors on each of their areas of responsibility at the AGM. Whilst it is not necessary for these questions to be notified in advance, it is often helpful to do so if it is a complex question or one which will require research – this will allow the time necessary to give a full answer. Anyone wishing to notify me of a question should send it to me prior to the AGM and I will ensure that it is passed to the appropriate Director for attention. Members who are unable to attend may also submit questions in this way.

Paul Sutton

secretary@bafra.org

2009 RULES CHANGES

Enclosed with this edition of Newsflash is a list of the BAFA rule changes for 2009. With pre-season games coming up involving BAFL teams, it is important to remember that the new rules apply to those

games. The new rules do NOT apply to remaining BUAFL games.

The rulebook is currently at the printers and will be issued to BAFRA members attending the Convention, (other members will receive theirs in the post). I will be going through the main changes during a session at the Convention. If you want to get ahead of the pack with your rules study, the entire rulebook, the list of changes and a press release about them can all be found at http://www.bafra.org/rulesctee/index.htm.

If you are asked to give a talk to a team on the rules changes, let me know and I can provide you with some additional resources.

Jim Briggs

rules@bafra.org

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

Congratulations to Ian Davies, Amir Brooks, Julian Mallia and David Knight on completing the Induction Training Programme. Thanks to Russell Newton, Richard Prattley and Jim Briggs for helping with their training.

Davie Parsons

training@bafra.org

TRAVEL EXPENSES PAYMENTS

The next batch of travel expenses will be available for collection from the Convention. If you do not attend the Convention they will be posted shortly afterwards.

Andrew Lovell

finance@bafra.org

DIRECTOR OF TRAINING

As some of you will be aware I have withdrawn my resignation as Director of Training and intend to continue in the post until the end my tenure at the 2010 AGM. As such, I felt it appropriate to provide some feed back to the membership on the reasons behind my decision.

Firstly, the workload in my daytime job has eased off quite a bit recently and has become more stabilised. Secondly, I have had a couple of telephone discussions with Mark Snow who had indicated a preference for the position. Both Mark and I talked about the various duties that come with the role as well as the general workings of BAFRA. We subsequently agreed that I would continue in the role while Mark starts to learn the ropes and with immediate effect becomes actively involved in helping with Director of Training related matters. Mark and I, as well as the current Board agree this is a good way to go forward.

Over the last year Andrew Lovell has spent time working with Charles Dean-Young learning the finance role. Andrew has now put himself forward for the job as Charlie is stepping down and has a good understanding of the duties involved.

Notwithstanding the above, it goes without saying that anyone can put themselves forward for a Directors position and the matter will go through a due process at the AGM. However its good practice to have some form of succession planning.

Davie Parsons

training@bafra.org

ASSIGNMENTS

This week’s assignments are on the web. If anyone has not done so, please fill in your latest availability as soon as you can.

On April the 18^th the Cornish Sharks have a game. We really need to put a crew on this. Could anyone who might be willing to do this game please drop me an email as soon as possible.

Pete Johnson

operations@bafra.org

RESULTS

BUAFL Playoffs

Reading Knights – 6 UWE Bullets – 8

Cardiff Cobras – 6 Birmingham Lions – 40

UEA Pirates – 13 Southampton Stags – 40

Greenwich Mariners – 0 Hertfordshire Hurricanes – 30

BUAFL Regular Season

Sheffield Sabres - 10 Liverpool Fury – 6

Hallam Warriors – 41 Loughborough Aces – 15

Leeds Celtics – 12 Staffordshire Stallions – 26

Tarannau Aberystwyth – 12 BNU Buccaneers – 6

Lancaster Bombers – 0 Sheffield Sabres – 30

DISCIPLINARY CASES

GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS

END ZONE

CALENDAR