BAFRA Newsflash

http://www.bafra.org

Issue: 26/11

14^th July 2011

BAFACL FIXTURE SCHEDULE

Last Sunday two games due to be played, Tamworth v London Warriors and Manchester v Doncaster, which were not shown on the BAFACL fixture list. Therefore these games were not placed onto the Arbiter scheduling system and no officials were assigned nor attended, although teams, supporters and medical cover were present.

In order to avoid a repeat of this, the BAFACL scheduler has circulated the Fixture Schedule to all teams to verify fixtures, start times, etc , for the remainder of the regular season. The deadline for completion of this process is Friday 15^th July. In my capacity as Director of Operations I will then liaise with BAFACL to confirm all fixtures before assigning officials.

Should any official have any questions directed at them, at a game, relating to this matter as to why officials did not attend games last week, you are advised to refer the questioner to BAFACL as it was not a BAFRA oversight. All officials assigned to games are as a result of information gained from the BAFACL schedule. If you have any further questions about this matter please contact me

As a result of this information exchange I am now receiving much more detail from teams, revised start time, change of venue, etc, all of which was not on the previous schedule and as a result not on Arbiter. In the short term I will pass it on to you in respect of games that affect you and your crew. In the longer term, I will amend Arbiter accordingly. My apologies if you are already aware of this information.

Richard Vernon

operations@bafra.org

31^ST JULY FIXTURES - REQUEST

We have a large schedule of games, particularly in the North/Scotland and South East, on 31^st July. Can all officials check their availability on this day as I do not want to send officials on long journeys, wherever possible. In order to avoid this please understand that you may not be assigned to the game nearest to where you live.

Richard Vernon

operations@bafra.org

NEW REFEREES NEEDED

Since I started scheduling games in April it has become clear that we do not have sufficient officials available to White Hat games when we have a full schedule of matches. This will become even more apparent when the University season starts.

Can I therefore ask that everyone considers trying it out. Obviously I will ensure you are initially assigned to games at an appropriate level, perhaps JKL games as part of a Double Header or a University game. You will receive sufficient training and support from your colleagues.

This will not result in officials being expected to Referee every week, but it will enable all officials to work a wider variety of positions.

Contact me or speak to someone who referees already to get more information. Please give this request serious thought as it will help BAFRA considerably

Richard Vernon

operations@bafra.org

DISCIPLINARY CASE

A BAFA Disciplinary Committee has considered a charge brought against Paul Goodward, Head Coach of Leeds Varsity Bobcats. He was found guilty of sending an insulting email to an official after a game. Mr Goodward was warned about his future conduct and given a one-game ban, suspended for 12 months.

Jim Briggs

BAFA Disciplinary Officer

BAFA COMMUNITY LEAGUE 5 ON 5 KITTED TOURNAMENTS

As some you will be aware the BAFA Community League have again sanctioned a series of Junior Kitted 5 on 5 tournaments. The games will be played at various venues throughout the UK during the coming months and always on a Saturday. See schedule below.

BAFRA is very keen to support football at the grass roots level, be it at junior kitted or junior flag competitions. As these events are usually quite limited in terms of funding, the BAFRA Board has agreed that in order to support these competitions we will again reduce the BAFRA admin fee for these events to £5.00. We would also like to ask for volunteers to officiate at the tournaments. There would be no BAFRA game fee, it would be purely voluntary. You would expect to have food and refreshments provided and the organisers would pay reasonable travel expenses.

The process for assigning to these games will be as per any other event. Richard Vernon, Director of Operations will assign officials to the tournaments and will advise the tournaments directly if they have officials or not. He will then confirm assignments to the crews. On game day officials would need to claim their expenses directly with the tournament organisers. The head ref on the day will need to complete a green form to account for the BAFRA admin fee and to ensure the crew are covered off for insurance purposes.

If anybody is interested in volunteering to officiate one or more of these events please advise Richard by email on operations@bafra.org as soon as possible. This might also be a useful opportunity to give some of our newest members a taster of the game before they take the field for youth or senior kitted football.

The tournament dates and hosts are as follows:

Dates:	Host:
16^th July	Clyde Valley Phoenix
23^rd July	Burnley Tornadoes
30^th July	Reading Rebels
6^th August	Balby Car Mustangs
6^th August	Glasgow Tigers
14^th August	Colchester Gladiators
20^th August	Woodham Warriors
20^th August	London Warriors
20^th August	Highland Wildcats

Davie Parsons

president@bafra.org

QUALIFIED STATUS

Congratulations to Jeremy Walker who has completed all of the requirements to become a qualified

official.

Thanks to Tim Ockendon and all involved in his training.

Charles Dean-Young

training@bafra.org

RESULTS

BAFA Premiership

London Blitz 81 - 20 Coventry Jets

BAFA CL Division 1

Hampshire Thrashers 53 - 33 East Kent Mavericks

Ipswich Cardinals 7 - 19 London Olympians

Manchester Titans 28 - 50 Doncaster Mustangs

East Kilbride Pirates 36 - 2 Merseyside Nighthawks

Gateshead Senators 0 - 12 Yorkshire Rams

Cambridgeshire Cats 21 - 41 Leicester Falcons

BAFA CL Division 2

Sheffield Predators 35 - 0 Lincolnshire Bombers

Chester Romans 16 - 32 Lancashire Wolverines

Essex Spartans 50 - 0 Maidstone Pumas

Bristol Apache 8 - 54 South Wales Warriors

Cornish Sharks 30 - 27 Berkshire Renegades

Clyde Valley Blackhawks 20 - 6 Glasgow Tigers

BAFA Junior

Hampshire Thrashers 6 - 34 Farnham Knights

Gateshead Senators 32 - 16 Lancashire Wolverines

DISCIPLINARY CASES

NAME	#	TEAM	CODE	Q	OFFENCE	SUSPENDED
New this week – none

Previous weeks
Jayned Donatien	24	Gloucester Banshees	FPF	2	Player was observed kicking a prone player in the abdomen whilst standing over him.	17/07/11 v Berkshire Renegades
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.

GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS

HOME TEAM	REPORT	NEXT HOME GAME
New this week
Sheffield Predators	The game was conceded by the Bombers at half-time because of a shortage of players. Having started the game with 19, they lost another player just before half-time and decided for reasons of player safety (as many would be playing both ways all the time) that it would be best not to continue with the second half. Tim Vickers #129	17/07/11 v Staffordshire Surge
Hampshire Thrashers	Changing rooms not lockable. Game kicked off 36 minutes late due to delay with the kickoff of the preceding junior game. Pete Parsons #321	17/07/11 v Sussex Thunder
Gateshead Senators Junior	There were a number of white and yellow non-American Football markings on the field. The coaching line was not marked and the team areas were not marked between the 25 yard lines. Upon arrival at the ground, the crew were directed by ground staff to a car park in a local field some distance from the playing field. They were then directed to one changing room before being redirected to a second changing room in a different building. This was not lockable. After dressing the crew had to return to their vehicle and then drive to the game-site. These delays resulted in the crew only arriving at the actual playing field shortly before the scheduled kick-off time. No Officials assistants were immediately available, and there was a brief delay while assistants were found and briefed. The Kick-Off was delayed by approximately 15 minutes. One ball person disappeared at the end of the third quarter. The home team did not provide a replacement, but the visiting team were able to provide someone. The chain crew were inattentive and the down-box occasionally moved without instruction to do so. Ben Griffiths #228	Unknown
Gateshead Senators	Field and changing rooms were as in the junior game. The kick-off was delayed because of the late finishing Junior game. Gateshead were initially unable to provide five assistants. The kick-off was delayed while the required number of assistants were found. The ball persons seemed to be changing constantly, at least four separate ball-persons were used. Despite this the ball persons actually performed well. The down box operator moved numerous times without instruction to do so and thus caused a number of delays. Ben Griffiths #228	24/07/11 v Merseyside Nighthawks
Chester Romans	All but one of the chain crew and both ball boys changed at half time, forcing the crew to delay the start of the second half to complete briefing Mike Cavanagh #465	07/08/11 v Lincolnshire Bombers
Cornish Sharks	Field is 80 yards long but well marked. Simon Ryan #408	23/07/11 v South Wales Warriors
Oxford Saints	Grass on the field surface was very long, this was strange since the grass around the pitch appeared to have been cut shorter. Oxford's hospitality was excellent as ever. The drinks, sausage rolls and cake were much appreciated. Dean Wright #553	17/07/11 v Nottingham Caesars
Outstanding items from previous weeks
East Kent Mavericks	Field marked out as last week (no limit lines, no coaching boxes or team areas, no 9 yard marks or numbers, no inbounds lines). With the agreement of both coaches, a running clock was used in the fourth quarter as the Mavericks only had 3 fit offensive linemen. Dan Bridgland #506	24/07/11 v Ipswich Cardinals
Farnham Knights Juniors	Unique hashmarks - those in the middle of the field were about 15 yards long (though they varied a lot) between where the inbounds lines might have been. No team area lines. Field surface very poor: lots of long grass and hollows. Both teams wore blue jerseys: Farnham in light blue; Blitz in dark blue. Kickoff delayed 30 minutes due to late arrival of visiting team. Jim Briggs #31	24/07/11 v Bristol Aztecs Junior
Farnham Knights	As youth game, kick off delayed due to delay in arrival of visiting youth team. Pete Parsons #321	24/07/11 v Bristol Aztecs
Bristol Aztecs	Plaudits to the Aztecs' groundsman for a superbly-marked pitch. Dean Wright #553	07/08/11 v London Blitz
Yorkshire Rams	Plaudits to the Rams team management for supplying hot drinks and food on such a cold wet and windy June "summer" day! Chris Jarvis #10	31/07/11 v Doncaster Mustangs
London Olympians	Played at Well Hall astroturf, Eltham. No Team areas or hashmarks either at sideline or inbounds. Solid lines marked every 5 metres so coaches were informed that the chains would be definitive. Soccer goals were on the end line and the crossbar from these combined with two white drainpipes suspended within the goal netting constituted the posts. Officials assistants not supplied until after scheduled kickoff time. First half abandoned with the consent of both coaches with 0.40 remaining in order for an injured player to be treated. Tim Ockenden #481	17/07/11 v Colchester Gladiators
Highland Wildcats	No limit line lines, no three yard mark for PATs, No numbers on field. Henry Richardson #25	14/08/11 v Dundee Hurricanes
Carlisle Border Reivers	Distance between 5 yard lines in middle of field was between 6 and 8 yards. Down marker numbers on A4 paper in A4 sleeves. Balls and chain crew not supplied until just before kickoff time Tzvi Lindeman #381	17/07/11 v Dundee Hurricanes
Kent Exiles	Field markings faint and disappeared during game. Field surface muddy & worsened through game. Changing room dirty & insufficient room for 6/7 officials. Dan Bridgland #506	24/07/11 v Essex Spartans
South London Renegades	Played at Streatham & Croydon RFC. Field 20 feet too wide with Rugby markings the same colour as the Football markings. Yardlines marked every 10 yards although unevenly spaced. No hashmarks at sidelines and inbounds lines only every 5 yards. Goals too wide and with crossbar too high. Only one adequate game ball; one other supplied was well worn and another was not at an adequate pressure and no pump could be found. Tim Ockendon #481	31/07/11 v Cambridgeshire Cats Junior
Bristol Aztecs Junior	Farnham Knights reported there were some differences with the dates shown on the documentation of players details and those shown on the roster. They reported that 52 Leon Holland had no photo ID but a birth certificate was produced. 4 other players had different dates of birth on the BAFACL roster than on the documents produced. #8 James Cunningham was shown as 23/8/92 on the roster but 26/8/92 on the ID. #44 Matthew Teall was shown 7/8/93 on roster but 8/7/93 on ID. #2 Jamiel Tinto was shown as 1/3/92 on roster but 15/3/92 on ID and #3 Daniel Vickery was shown as 12/04/94 on Roster but 27/4/94 on ID. Keith Wickham #423	07/08/11 v Hampshire Thrashers Junior
Kent Exiles Junior	Game played in driving rain. Field markings had become non-existent and field surface more mud than grass. Same issues with changing room as with senior game. Dan Bridgland #506	24/07/11 v South London Renegades Jumior

END ZONE

PLAY OF THE WEEK:

New this week

Play: A's ball, free kick, on A's 35. The score is A28-B28 with one second remaining in the fourth quarter. A4's free kick is at rest (official is emphatic) one yard from the goal line pylon when B86 dives on the ball (legal touching). The ball hits the goal line pylon before B86 gains control of the ball. Time expires during the down.
Ruling?

Last week

Play: On a try attempt at Team B's 3 yard line, B1 intercepts Team A's legal forward pass and runs it to midfield. During the run back after the interception, B2 clips in the Team B end zone. Ruling?

Ruling: The penalty is declined by rule, the try is not replayed and the down is not replayed. Note that penalties for flagrant personal fouls, dead-ball fouls and live-ball fouls treated as dead-ball fouls are enforced on the succeeding kickoff or at the succeeding spot in extra periods. (8-3-4-a & AR 8-3-4-II)

MECHANICS:

New this week

Game Situation: What are the 3 ways to mark a dead ball spot (and their order of desirability)?
Answer next issue...

Last week

Game Situation: Generally, a ball should be spotted either 'nose on', 'tail on' or equidistant between two yard lines. In what situation should the ball be spotted with greater accuracy?
Answer: M-5-7-1. In descending order of desirability, 1: with a ball (placed so its axis is parallel to the sideline); 2: with your foot; 3: with a bean bag.

CALENDAR

Date	Event	Contact for details
2011
July 23^rd (Sat)	BAFRA Board Meeting	secretary@bafra.org
November 6^th (Sun)	BUAFL 2011/12 Season Starts
November 19^th (Sat)	BAFRA Board Meeting	secretary@bafra.org

BAFRA Directors
President	David Parsons	president@bafra.org	General Secretary	Paul Sutton	secretary@bafra.org
Finance	Andrew Lovell	finance@bafra.org	Operations	Richard Vernon	operations@bafra.org
Recruitment	James Meredith	recruitment@bafra.org	Training	Charlie Dean Young	training@bafra.org
Director without Portfolio #1	Martin Cockerill	dwp1@bafra.org	Director without Portfolio #2	Steve Tonkinson	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.

Editor: Dean Wright - Email: newsflash@bafra.org