BAFRA Newsflash

http://www.bafra.org

Issue: 18/12

10th May 2012


BUSY WEEKEND - 26TH/27TH MAY


Can I ask everyone, if at all possible, can you make yourself available on Arbiter for at least one of these dates as there are 12 games on the 26th and 11 games on the 27th. This is especially needed on the Saturday as over 35 officials are shown unavailable including 20 with Refereeing experience. If this cannot be resolved it is highly likely we will be unable to cover all games, so we really need your support here.


Richard Vernon

operations@bafra.org


RESULTS


Cornish Sharks 36 – 8 Gloucester Centurions

Manchester Titans 82 – 13 Crewe Railroaders

Kent Exiles 14 – 0 Essex Spartans

Bedfordshire Blue Raiders 6 – 0 Watford Cheetahs

Merseyside Nighthawks 7 – 28 Nottingham Caesars

Berkshire Renegades 22 – 20 South Wales Warriors

Peterborough Saxons 32 – 0 Milton Keynes Pathfinders

Maidstone Pumas 7 – 54 Colchester Gladiators

Glasgow Tigers 34 – 43 Edinburgh Wolves

Birmingham Bulls 6 – 6 Yorkshire Rams

London Olympians 0 – 28 London Warriors

Gateshead Senators 13 – 9 Shropshire Revolution

Coventry Jets 7 – 20 Lancashire Wolverines

Tamworth Phoenix 23 – 0 East Kilbride Pirates


DISCIPLINARY CASES


NAME

#

TEAM

CODE

Q

OFFENCE

SUSPENDED

New this week

Joshua Hannah

70

Nottingham Caesars Junior

FGT

3

After a failed try attempt, Nottingham #70 engaged in a fight with Birmingham #74.

20/05/12 v Leicester Falcons Junior

Jason Robinson

74

Birmingham Bulls Junior

FGT

3

As above. This and the above were misreported as Senior league disqualifications last week.

13/05/12 v Leicester Falcons Junior

Karl Walkinshaw

33

Nottingham Caesers

FUC

4

Player was verbally abusive towards an official.

20/05/12 v West Coast Trojans

Previous weeks

Martin Punter

77

Edinburgh Wolves

FGT

2

Player tackled opponent by throwing him to the ground, and then retaining hold of him. Player continued to tighten his grip before being removed.

Player's 3rd DQ this season. He is suspended for 12 months (to 07/08/12) plus one more game after that due to an earlier incident.

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

Merseyside Nighthawks

NFL hash marks, running track lines on field and same colour (although becoming faded), hash marks in some areas were not consistent distance between 5 yards lines. However, it should be noted that the game day management (including facilities and the field generally) is one of the best organised by many teams.

Mark Snow #430

10/06/12 v Lancashire Wolverines

Berkshire Renegades

Everything was just fine.

Barry Beynon #533

01/07/12 v Essex Spartans

Farnham Knights Junior

There are some extra lines on the field from a failed marking attempt. Not sure that the field is rectangular - the size of the end zones varied from 9-11 yards according to where you measured. Not all yard marks were a yard long. Field uneven and grass quite long in places. Changing room not lockable. Ball boys were quite poor, and the best one left at half-time. It was an amazing game in which Farnham came back from 19 points down to win. Plaudits to the effort of both teams.

Jim Briggs #31

10/06/12 v London Warriors

Glasgow Tigers

No limit lines; team box and coaching box marked but too close to sideline.

Henry Richardson #25

27/05/12 v Highland Wildcats

Gateshead Senators

The field is offset to the playing area, meaning that there is no room opposite the press box to run the chains safely, therefore the chains were positioned on the home team sideline. The goal posts are situated 2 yards behind the end line and are of High School width. Plaudits to the home management for supplying hot/cold drinks and food during the game and between the 2 games, it was very much appreciated.

Chris Jarvis #10

02/06/12 v Coventry Jets

Cornish Sharks

Goals were soccer goals with added uprights (this should be rectified for their next home game). Plaudits go to Cornish Sharks for their excellent game management, and to both sets of players for a good hard-fought game.

Amir Brooks #593

26/05/12 v Bournemouth Bobcats

London Olympians

Game was played as a 'single post' game as the posts at one end of the field are too close to a nearby road. Field was 100 yards and generally well-marked, though the numbers were too close to the sideline and the hash marks were NFL style.

Dean Wright #553

17/06/12 v London Blitz

Lancashire Bombers

Game was part of the annual 'Battle of the Roses' tournament with York University and as such was not a regular season game. Pitch was 78 yards long with NFL hashmarks, short yard-line extensions missing from either sideline, no coaches or players area marked, other line markings on the field that were same colour as Gridiron markings (white)

Mark Snow #430

Unknown

Kent Exiles

This is a combined report for the Double Header hosted by the Kent Exiles 06/05/2012 at their new venue "Seven Acre & Sidcup Football Club"


Game management to the usual high standard as always from the Exiles, referee microphone is being provided for all games again this year. Officials changing room is small for a 5 man crew, refreshments were laid on and the crew had a key for the door.


Field Audit scored 71 which will reduce once the weather conditions have improved to make corrections on points which scored against them. Field markings all currently in blue, recent weather conditions causing over run of the soccer season.

Soccer markings in white across the field. Team have not been able to install proper posts yet, again due to the recent weather conditions not allowing the concrete to be poured and set - so currently using extended uprights on soccer goals. Coaching area missing. Team area line marked greater than 12ft from sideline (and not the correct size at present). Limit lines missing. No field numbers or 9yd marks currently present. Field surface and visibility of markings before the first game were both good, however towards the end of the second game visibility of all lines seriously impaired by mud [never became a safety issue at any point]

Phil Clarke #262

20/05/12 v Cambridgeshire Cats

Outstanding items from previous weeks

Cambridgeshire Cats Junior

Ambulance was late so delayed the kick off by 10 minutes. Near the end of the 3rd quarter the ambulance took an injured player to hospital. Crew was told the ambulance would take 15 minutes but ended up taking 55 minutes. 4th quarter was done with a running clock with agreement from both coaches. Field a long way from changing rooms. Officials had access to two changing rooms which were both small

Ellis Bowyer #502

17/06/12 v Peterborough Saxons

Lincolnshire Bombers

Field had rugby, soccer and football markings, all marked in white. Bombers where excellent hosts, paying as soon as we arrived and offering hot food after the game. Plaudits are due to both teams for the exemplary sportsmanship and good humour displayed during the game.

Tim Fisher #439

10/06/12 v Sheffield Predators

South London Renegades

Kick-off was delayed by 20 minutes whilst game management was recruiting officals' assistants. Pitch was muddy due to the rain and the white lines had faded. No inbound hash marks. Other rugby markings in white also existed. Only 4 goal line pylons.

C K Nam #586

13/05/12 v Peterborough Saxons

Watford Cheetahs

Field of play not a multiple of 10 yards. Changing rooms not lockable.

Pete Parsons #321

03/06/12 v Peterborough Saxons

Leicester Falcons

Plaudits to both teams, all the coaches and gameday staff, in the worst weather conditions anyone on crew had ever worked, the game went off with out incident and with just one minor injury. It was also the 1st 0-0 game I have covered!

Ian Wainwright #567

09/06/12 v Doncaster Mustangs

Nottingham Caesars

The field markings were adequate at the time of KO even after the Youth Game.

The hash marks became faint to non-existent during the 3rd quarter and centre of the field was a quagmire, therefore the ball was placed in the side zones after every play. The home team only provided 1 Ball Person on the Home team sideline, which was not ideal given the weather conditions.


The one of the Chain Crew assistants was changed during the 2nd quarter due to the son of one assistant had sustained an injury. Plaudits to both sets of players, who played the game in atrocious weather conditions with great sportsmanship. Also plaudits to the Head Coach of the Caesars for providing hot drinks and food for the officials between the 2 games.

Chris Jarvis #10

20/05/12 v West Coast Trojans

Gloucester Centurions

Due to the non-arrival of the ambulance despite the home team chairman's best attempts (including driving to the regional headquarters of the Red cross), the officials had no choice but to call off the game after one hour had elapsed from the original kick off time since the minimum medical requirements were not fulfilled.

Colin Edwards #79

12/05/12 v Cornish Sharks


END ZONE


PLAY OF THE WEEK:


New this week

Play: Play of the week is on hold for the duration of the exam period
Ruling?

Last week

Play: Play of the week is on hold for the duration of the exam period
Ruling?


MECHANICS:


New this week

Game Situation: Play of the week is on hold for the duration of the exam period
Answer next issue...

Last week

Play: Play of the week is on hold for the duration of the exam period
Ruling?


CALENDAR

Date

Event

Contact for details

2012

May 12th (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

July 14th (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

August 25th (Sat) / 26th (Sun)

BAFA NL Finals Weekend


November 17th (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

March 31st / April 1st

BAFRA Convention

president@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