NAME

#

TEAM

CODE

Q

OFFENCE

SUSPENDED

New this week

Jack Walsh

95

UEA Pirates

FPF

3

Player wrenched the runner – who was 6 feet out of bounds – to the ground.

09/12/12 v Imperial Immortals

Previous weeks

Sean Lewis

11

LSBU Spartans

BGD

NA

Misconduct charge relating to the seriousness of the incident on 12/02/2012.

02/12/12 v Hertfordshire Hurricanes

Wale Ojuko

1

Sheffield Hallam Warriors

FGT

4

After the play was over the player was seen to head butt an opponent.

09/12/12 v Lancaster Bombers

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.

HOME TEAM

REPORT

NEXT HOME GAME

New this week

Wolverhampton Wildcats

On arrival at ground, for first home game, field had been marked out at 100 yards with goal posts on the GL. Teams agreed to revert to 80 yard field putting goals on EL. Both teams played in mainly white shirts and blue helmets, but different colour flashes on shirts and trousers. Delay of game penalties applied at start of each half as assistants note provided before KO, and didn't reappear after half time

Andrew Lovell #559

02/12/12 v DMU Falcons

Solent Redhawks

100 yard field with 9.5 yard end zones. Swan neck type goals overhang the end zone. No numbers but there were 9-yard marks. There were even (very faint) chain clip reference marks. Excellent facilities and all-round game management.

Both teams wore "red" jerseys, though there was enough of a distinction between scarlet and maroon.

Jim Briggs #31

02/12/12 v Brunel Burners

MMU Eagles

Changing rooms available to neither teams nor officials until shortly before scheduled KO time. This was due to a childrens' rugby match at same venue. Pre-game was done in clubhouse. Kick off delayed by 15 minutes to allow teams to dress and warm-up. Ball-boys not made available until 5 minutes before re-scheduled Kick-off time. changed in 1st quarter resulting in a re-briefing. No coach or team areas. No limit lines. No Numbers on field. No five-yard lines. Field also has rugby markings, also in white.

Stuart Young #33

Unknown

Leeds Carnegie

80 yard field, no team areas, faint field markings, no sideline hashes.

Jed Brookes-Lewis #395

Unknown

Warwick Wolves

Warwick were informed that they could not use their normal pitch which is usually well marked because of the heavy rain. They did manage to find an alternative pitch which was marked with tape and had the necessary lines required for the game to proceed. Plaudits to Warwick for dealing with this situation.

Muz Gibson #268

Unknown

Royal Holloway Bears

Field is 65 yards wide. The hashmarks are 25 yards wide. No team areas, limit lines,

9-yard marks, or 3-yard lines for try downs.

Richard Vernon #103

Unknown

Teeside Cougars

Game kick off was 5 minutes late due to late arrival of the Ambulance. There are no Goal Posts at either end. The following lines are missing:- Nine Yard Marks, Team Area desigantion lines at the 25's. All Football lines are faint. The Box person of the Chain Crew was changed twice.

Chris Jarvis #10

02/12/12 v Durham Saints

UWE Bullets

The field markings were almost invisible. The home team advised that they had been painted on Wednesday but the weather had washed them away. Taped markers had to be placed at the end of each 5-yard line so that we could identify the side lines etc.

Julian Malia #336

Unknown

Bradford Bears

Bradfords field is well marked out but 10 and 5 yard lines where very faint before kick-off. On first inspection the field surface was muddy and soft. By midway through the game, the field surface had deteriorated into a quagmire. The 5 and 10 yard lines and inbound lines where not visible by the end of the game.

The kick-off was delayed by 20 minutes due to the late arrival of the visiting team. To ensure the game could be completed before sunset each quarter was shortened to ten minutes.

Kyle Barker #463

Unknown

Canterbury Chargers

Field approximately 90 yards long with main lines every 5 metres, so chains were definitive. Inbounds lines too far from sidelines (NFL distance). No sideline markings of any kind (coaching lines, team areas, limit lines etc.) and no 9-yard marks. Field surface deteriorated as the game progressed but was still just about playable by the end.

Tim Ockendon #481

02/12/12 v Imperial Immortals

Loughborough Aces

Team areas and coaching box very close to sidelines at an otherwise fine facility

Brian Yates #29

Unknown

Outstanding items from previous weeks

Leeds Celtics

The chain crew was changed at half time as one of them was leaving! Team areas marked out with cones. But thanks to the Celtics for arranging payment at half-time to allow the crew to depart immediately at the end of the game to officiate a second game 5 miles away!

Tim Vickers #129

09/12/12 v Northumbria Mustangs

Newcastle Raiders

Teeside jersey's were a mix of predominantly Red with Black and Gold panels and Newcastle Jersey's were all Red, they were not ideal but just about OK.

The following lines were missing: Coaching Box and Team Areas, 9 Yards Marks.

The Goal Posts are located 2 yards beyond the end lines. Only 2 balls were nearly new and a 3rd was old and slick, which we used for KO's only.

Newcastle declared they were playing "Under Protest" as the Teeside players registration cards were "not dated", therefore Newcastle could not verify that the Teeside players were current students.

Chris Jarvis #10

09/12/12 v Bradford Bears

Edinburgh Predators

80 yard field, No limit line

Henry Richardson #25

09/12/12 v Napier Knights

Gloucester Gladiators

Field was 80 yards with NFL hashmarks. Soccer flags were positioned 20 yards off the sidelines and a yard behind the end lines for use as guides when spotting the ball. Officials were not paid on the day.

Amir Brooks #593

02/12/12 v Worcester Royals

Coventry University Jets

Team Area's and coaches boxes missing. Jets jerseys comprised a mix of proper and white tee shirts with felt-tip pen written numbers 80 yard field though well marked.

Crew not paid

Brian Yates #29

09/12/12 v Wolverhampton Wildcats

UCH Sharks

Pitch had NFL hashmarks. Ambulance arrived 10 minutes after scheduled kickoff time. Kick off was delayed even further because of card checks. Ballboys were changed several times during the game. Crew weren't paid until 50 minutes after the game ended. 2 minutes silence was observed before the game.

Dan Holt #371

02/12/12 v Leeds Carnegie

Sheffield Sabres

Game was played on an 80 yard field with one set of posts. All offensive plays were towards the goals. The field was marked out for multiple sports, American football markings in white and yellow, with other markings on the field in white and red. No coaches or team boxes were marked.

Upon arrival at the field, it was noted that medical requirements where not met by rule, no ambulance was available and no paramedic or doctor was present. A registered doctor was found, who was willing to take responsibility for the medical requirements. Kick-off was delayed for 15 minutes while the doctor travelled to the venue.

Kyle Barker #463

09/12/12 v Bangor Muddogs

Portsmouth Destroyers

Field reasonably well marked out, but in blue that was difficult to see. On referee's arrival, there were no yard-line extensions on the side opposite the press box, but these were added on request. No 9-yard marks or numbers. Team areas and coaching box lines marked with cones. Pylons (4) only on goal lines. Away team complained that this made judging their passes into the end zone difficult.

No separate changing room for officials. Kickoff delayed just over 5 minutes because of combination of late roster checks and minute's silence. Portsmouth provided a roster form that was handwritten. Kingston's roster mainly had only first names, and surnames had to be added by hand on request.

Jim Briggs #31

09/12/12 v Surrey Stingers

Kingston Cougars

No team areas or limit lines. No inbounds marks but marks on the main lines at the correct lateral position enabled the ball to be correctly spotted with direction form the wing officials. Swan neck goal posts based on the end line with the plane of the posts inside the end zone.

Tim Ockendon #481

02/12/12 v Reading Knights

PLAY OF THE WEEK:

New this week

Play: A's ball on B's 3, try. The score is A20-B20. Time has expired in the fourth quarter. Team A's try is unsuccessful. Team B is offside. A64 commits a dead ball personal foul.
Ruling?

Last week

Play: Team A punt. B23 is in a position to catch the kick in flight. B23 makes a legal fair catch signal and the ball then bounces on the ground. The ball bounces up into the air and B23 attempts to recover it. He muffs the ball at the Team B 30 yard line and the ball flies forwards to the Team B 35 yard line where B23 recovers it on the ground. Ruling?
Ruling: When a player who has made a valid fair catch signal tries to catch a kick in flight and muffs the ball, then subsequently catches the ball at a spot in advance of the first touching, the ball is returned to the spot of the first touch (6-5-1-b). In this instance though, since the ball has bounced off the ground it is no longer possible for a player to catch the ball, only recover it (2-4-3-d). Therefore the ball belongs to Team B at the spot of the recovery, the Team B 35 yard line. Remember that since the protection associated with a valid fair catch signal ends after the ball touches the ground, so does the requirement that a muffed recovery be returned to the spot of the first touch.

MECHANICS:

New this week

Game Situation: 1st and 10 at the A40, team A run an option play. While under pressure at the A35 quarterback A3 throws a backwards pass to A20, who muffs the ball at the A30. The ball then bounces on the ground and goes out of bounds at the A32. How should the covering officials make use bean bags to indicate spots of interest in this play?
Answer next issue...

Last week

Play: 1st and 10 at the Team A 25 yard line. A23 runs a sweep to the Linejudge's side of the field. A23 is brought to the ground at the Team A 28 yard line close to the Linejudge's sideline. The Linejudge does not blow his whistle even though the play appears to be over. How long should the Linesman be prepared to wait before blowing his whistle to kill the play?
Answer: M-5-5-5. Never be the first official to blow a whistle if the ball is not in your zone of responsibility. The Linesman here must concentrate on his own area of coverage and only echo the Linejudge's whistle (when it comes ) if it is necessary to end continuing action in his area. Don't toot your whistle unless you have thrown a penalty flag or otherwise need to attract the Referee's attention.

Date

Event

Contact for details

2012

February 16^th (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

March 23^rd (Sat)

BUAFL Bowl Game

April 6^th / April 7^th

BAFRA Convention

president@bafra.org

May 11^th (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

July 20^th (Sat)

BAFRA Board Meeting

secretary@bafra.org

November 16^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

Pete Thom

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.