Issue 18/17 25th May 2017
BAFRA Newsflash | |||
EXAM RESULTS 2017
I’d like to draw a formal end to the examination period for 2017 by sharing some data one how well members fared and also some observations we made.
142 members (a record number!) took the exam with an average (mean) score of 77.3%. For reference, the average scores for the last two years were 75.4% (2016) and 76.8% (2015). The overall average score for the last 10 years is 77.2%. The highest score this year was 97% (by 3 members) and one official who was sitting the exam for the first time scored 95%, a great effort!
By now all members should have received the memo containing the three clarifications and all other queries have now been responded to personally. As mentioned, we take members’ views on board during the process of producing and returning the exam and continually try to improve the exam to be a fair and honest test of rules and mechanics knowledge. If anyone is still awaiting a response please contact exam2017@bafra.info ASAP.
For training purposes or local discussion, here are a few other questions which were answered poorly: 13, 18, 29, 31, 41, 42, 56, 67, 77, 79, 81. A selection of these questions will appear as the ‘Play of the week’ in Newsflash over the coming weeks.
Finally, a great deal of time and effort goes into the process and I’d like to thank all contributors for setting questions, testing the paper, IT support and feedback.
Stuart Young
BAFRA ELITE PROGRAMME (BEP)
Now that the Annual Examination is complete the process of selecting the 21 members of the BEP can commence. Should you wish to be considered then you must apply in writing to the Director of Operations at operations@bafra.info. Applications will be accepted immediately and the closing date is Friday 17th June 2017.
Applications will only be considered from Qualified BAFRA members who meet specific criteria. Full details of the criteria can be found in the Elite Programme Policy in Section 7 of the Members Handbook.
Also, as part of the criteria includes your rating on the Selection Spreadsheet, which must be 80% or above, I would also recommend you read the Scheduling and Selection Policy which can be found in Section 6 of the Members Handbook. If you wish to know your current rating on the Selection Spreadsheet before making your decision on whether or not to apply, please send an email to operations@bafra.info and I will come back to you in early June with a detailed breakdown of your scores.
If it is your intention to apply then I would recommend that you read the document in full. If you are considering applying and would like an informal discussion please contact either me or Ben Griffiths who is the BEP co-ordinator.
Richard Vernon
ONLINE COACHES CARDS
Please note we are now in a position to fully use the online Coaches Card system. In order for a coach to use this they will need to have an account set up. To do this if you are the referee please either ask the coach to email coachescards@bafra.info with their email address, name and name of club, or collect the information and then pass this through to the same email address. We will then set up their account and email out the information to log in to the coach.
Please note if asked we are only using this information for use with the online coaches card system.
Lee Wood
MINUTES OF THE MAY BOARD MEETING
The minutes of the May Board Meeting are now available in the member’s area of the BAFRA website at
http://www.bafra.info/members/minutes/eb20170506.pdf.
Paul Sutton
ALL-TIME LIST OF MEMBERS
An updated version of this list has been uploaded to the member’s area of the BAFRA website at http://www.bafra.info/members/other/NumbersAllTime.pdf. If anyone has any information that would allow us to get this list more accurate – perhaps someone missing from the list, a first name where we only have an initial, a number where we only have a name etc.), please send the details to me so that I may update the data for the future. People, especially our longer-serving members, have been very helpful in trawling their records for information but there may still be more to be uncovered. Thank you.
Paul Sutton
DISCIPLINARY CASES
NAME | # | TEAM | CODE | Q | OFFENCE | SUSPENDED | |
New this week | |||||||
Luke Prendergast | 6 | London Blitz | FPF | 1 | Punched an opponent after being taunted. | 11/06/17 v Bristol Aztecs | |
Anthony Amissah | 8 | Cambridgeshire Cats | TUF | 2 | After having received a penalty for dead ball taunting, player continued to be abusive towards the officials. He was dragged away by teammates twice but continued the abuse and was penalised a second time. | 11/06/17 v London Hornets | |
Simon McHardy | 92 | Manchester Titans | FPF | 2 | Whilst engaged with an opponent and on the ground, the player punched his opponent. | 04/06/17 v Doncaster Mustangs | |
Previous weeks | |||||||
Alasdair Jarvis | 42 | Shropshire Revolution | TUF | 4 | During the first half, the player shoved an opponent clearly after the play was dead. In the fourth quarter, the player shoved another opponent clearly after the play had been blown dead due to a false start. | 04/06/17 v Humber Warhawks | |
GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS
HOME TEAM | REPORT | NEXT HOME GAME |
New this week | ||
Knottingley Raiders | 90 yard field. No limit lines, 9 yard marks or numbers. Team areas marked between the 30 yard lines. One of the balls was extremely worn and resembled a dinosaur egg. One change of chain crew at half time but the chain crew overall were abysmal, the worst I have seen in over 2 years. This was despite a thorough briefing by the head linesman. David Hewitt #607 | 04/06/17 v Northumberland Lightning |
Glasgow Tigers | Team and Coaching areas were marked between the 30 yard lines, but game management extended them to the 25 yard lines with cones. Ian Sneddon #427 | 06/08/17 v Dumfries Hunters |
Humber Warhawks | Due to major building works the only changing rooms were in the main sports centre, with the field a 5 minute drive on the other side of the campus. On arrival away team were having to change in the carpark next to the field. John Roberts #145 | 23/07/17 v Chester Romans |
Sandwell Steelers | Game was played at Wolverhampton RFC. The facilities and gameday management were excellent, but the field was marked out in faint yellow lines which were often difficult to see. Amir Brooks #593 | 30/07/17 v Nottingham Caesars |
London Blitz B | Most of the main lines were very faint. No coaching box or team area. Faint limit lines marked at 6'. The down box does not display all of the down numbers clearly. There were several trip hazards in the field surface which required rectifying prior to kickoff. Multiple officials assistants were changed at half time. Peter Parsons #321 | 11/06/17 v Wembley Stallions |
Manchester Titans | Pitch was 80 yards long with several colours of marking for other sports aslo on the pitch. Tony Newsham #302 | 11/06/17 v Yorkshire Rams |
Portsmouth Dreadnoughts | 90 yard field well marked. 2 changes of ball person during the game. Phil Hume #52 | 11/06/17 v Berkshire Renegades |
Farnham Knights | Several divots in the field identified by the officials. The problem was rectified by Game Management prior to the coin toss Euan Paterson #165 | 11/06/17 v London Warriors |
Merseyside Nighthawks | American Football Markings in Yellow, with markings for various other sports in Blue, White & Red. Team areas were marking but there was only one line at approximately 10 feet out of bounds. Ben Griffiths #228 | 09/07/17 v Edinburgh Wolves |
Edinburgh Wolves | Team and Coaching areas not marked. The team provided cones to mark out perimeters. Ian Sneddon #427 | 03/06/17 v Merseyside Nighthawks |
Newcastle Vikings | No player limit line. NFL hash marks. No 9 Yd marks. Dan Johnston #347 | 02/07/17 v Doncaster Mustangs |
Sussex Thunder | Field was a little bare of grass in places - marked well 90 yards. David Knight #135 | 04/06/17 v Oxford Saints |
Outstanding items from previous weeks | ||
Jurassic Coast Raptors | The field is 80 yards and marked well but some of the lines are very faint and hard to see. There are areas of the field where there is no grass and the lines are painted straight onto the soil. The team areas were marked to the 20 yard lines. Chains broke a couple of times. David Knight #135 | 04/06/17 v Worcestershire Black Knights |
Essex Spartans | 90 yard field, has field numbers present of the correct size but they incorrectly start at the 5-yard line each end [10 on 5, 30 on 25 etc]. Changing rooms not lockable. Several delays during the game requiring suspension to treat injured players. Phil Clarke #262 | 04/06/17 v East Essex Sabres |
Northumberland Lightening | Changing rooms some distance from field. Major arm injury to Leeds player in 3rd quarter. Game delayed by 35 minutes. Ambulance was called but advised that they would not send ambulance as was not on priority list. Credit to Northumberland player (specialist) who assisted in immediate medical care on field. Daniel Johnston #347 | 11/06/17 v Walney Terriers |
Shropshire Revolution | Field well marked except for javelin & shot put markings across one half. There is an immovable metal storage unit at one end of the field (~11 feet from the endline) however this was adequately padded by game management. Jed Brookes-Lewis #395 | 04/06/17 v Humber Warhawks |
Gateshead Senators | Other markings on the field, also in white, no team area marked on one sideline. Down box doesn't show 1&2 correctly, chains broke several times during the game. 1 change of chain crew. Liam Wooton #478 | 11/06/17 v Carlisle Sentinels |
Swindon Storm | 90 yard field. Team areas reached the 20 yardline instead of the 25. Hashmarks were also in a big curve, so the Umpire used the pylons to position himself. Field surface was very dry and hard. Viktor Janvari #63 | 25/06/17 v Torbay Trojans |
London Warriors | Field marked in blue lines apart from the midfield line and end lines. No numbers, 9-yard marks, coaching boxes, team areas or limit lines. Changing rooms not lockable. Officials assistants and game balls provided less than 10 minutes before scheduled kick off time and there were several changes to the chain crew throughout the game which caused a few tempo issues. Phil Clarke #262 | 09/07/17 v London Blitz |
Tamworth Phoenix | Field well marked, only small issue is that the team areas only being marked to the 30 yard lines. Chain crew changed at half time. Parking v. limited at the venue. Jed Brookes-Lewis #395 | 04/06/17 v Sheffield Giants |
Bournemouth Bobcats | Holes from soccer goals had to be covered. NFL hash marks. Top of numbers at 13 yards. Fencing approximately 12 feet from the sideline had to be padded. Philip Hume #52 | 11/06/17 v Maidstone Pumas |
London Hornets | Field was marked in blue across a rugby field which has white lines. The white lines are vivid, while the blue lines are badly faded in contrast. No team areas or coaches lines marked. Also no limit lines. Andrew Murrell #608 | 11/06/17 v Cambridgeshire Cats |
Berkshire Renegades | At the end of the half time interval it was agreed by both Head Coaches and the Referee to shorten the 3rd and 4th quarters to zero minutes under Rule 3-2-2-a. Changing rooms not lockable. Peter Parsons #321 | 23/07/17 v Maidstone Pumas |
Doncaster Mustangs | Team areas marked between 20 yard lines,otherwise an excellently marked field.Field length 90 yards. David Hewitt #607 | 04/06/17 v Manchester Titans |
Solent Thrashers | Field markings faint - no 3 yards marks - crossbar out of line with the end line. David Knight #135 | 18/06/17 v South Wales Warriors |
London Olympians | 90-yard field with 9-yard end zones marked in white with other sport markings in white and yellow. No limit lines or numbers. No hashmarks at inbounds lines but lateral position marks on every main line. Other sport markings approximated for 9-yard marks and coaching lines. Other team area lines marked with cones. Tim Ockendon #481 | 04/06/17 v Colchester Gladiators |
Hastings Conquerors | Played at Hastings & Bexhill RFC. Well marked 90-yard field missing only numbers & limit lines. Coaching line depth so bad as to make it unusable. Changing rooms cramped, lacking facilities and not lockable. Tim Ockendon #481 | 25/06/17 v Portsmouth Dreadnoughts |
PLAY OF THE WEEK: | |
New this week | Play: 4th and goal at Team B’s 11-yard line. A1 receives the snap and runs towards Team B’s goal line. He is hit at Team B’s 8-yard line and fumbles the ball. B70 then bats the loose ball backwards and it goes out of bounds at Team B’s 4-yard line. Ruling? This was Q13 in the 2017 BAFRA exam. |
Last week (issue 09/17) | Play: A's ball, 4th and 8, on the Team B 30 yard line. A9's low field goal attempt is blocked by B57 on Team B's 28 yard line. A42 recovers at the Team B 34 yard line and advances to the Team B 21 yard line, where he is downed. |
MECHANICS: | |
New this week | Game Situation: One minute has passed after the try following a Team A touchdown. Team A are in position to kick off at their own 35 yard line. The Team B players are grouped in a huddle on the field near their sideline receiving information from their coach who is in the coaching box. The head coach of the receiving team has been warned about tardiness on a previous kick-off. How should the officials resolve this situation? This was Q79 in the 2017 BAFRA exam. |
Last week (issue 09/17) | Play: A34 is leaving the field as part of a substitution. The player is 6 yards from his sideline when he removes his helmet, he then walks slowly into his team area. Ruling? |
Date | Event | Contact for details |
2017 | ||
July 22nd (Sat) | BAFRA Board Meeting | |
November 18th (Sat) | BAFRA Board Meeting |
BAFRA Directors | |||||
President | David Parsons | General Secretary | Paul Sutton | ||
Finance | Roger Brown | Operations | Richard Vernon | ||
Recruitment | Lee Taylor | Training | Pete Thom | ||
Director without Portfolio #1 | Peter Parsons | Director without Portfolio #2 | Steve Tonkinson | ||
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.info. Deadline for articles submitted by email (newsflash@bafra.info) is midnight Tuesday. |
