BAFRA ANNUAL CONVENTION – SAT 4th AND SUN 5th APRIL 2020
Week 6 Update
So, our system is back and working; and I can advise numbers this week. We have hit 98 registered, which means that the couple of people waiting to claim the number 100 spot can register now... and for even better news, I can confirm that Jim Briggs will give us the inside information on updates to both the BAFA Rule Book and MoFO during the Convention.
Location
The Convention will be held at Yarnfield Park Training & Conference Centre, Yarnfield Lane, Yarnfield, Staffordshire, ST15 0NL. Yarnfield Park is a leading training and conference centre in the heart of the UK. I would recommend that you look over the facility on their website where you can also find details of the location and directions: www.yarnfieldpark.com.
Registration
Please note we have introduced a change to the registration process
You can now register to attend the Convention at the undernoted website and book accommodation if required: www.bafraconvention.com
Administering the registration process and processing payments is a time-consuming task given our high attendance figures. As such I would request that you register and make your room payments as early as possible.
Accommodation
In our efforts to make the Convention more accessible to everyone, this year we have again negotiated excellent rates for accommodation which are detailed below. In addition, the BAFRA Board has agreed to provide some funding to keep down the costs. The rates indicated are per room, per night and include all discounts and a full breakfast.
Remember, to take advantage of the above rates you must book your room via www.bafraconvention.com
Payment
Payment for Convention rooms are due by 14th March. Payment can be made either electronically or by cheque.
It is appreciated that some people may wish to spread the cost and make multiple payments over the weeks leading up to14th March. Please use the same instructions as above. If you wish to make multiple payments, then you must make the payments electronically and not by cheque.
Unfortunately, payment for the Convention cannot be taken from Game Fees. The administration work involved is far too time consuming and does not fit well with our electronic process of paying Games Fees by direct transfer to your bank account.
Friday Night
Again, last year, many attendees stayed on the Friday night to save an early rise and travel on Saturday morning. As such the above rates are available for both the Friday and Saturday nights. I would recommend booking your room as early as possible.
Ian Sneddon - Convention Delivery Team
AGM OF BAFRA LIMITED
As always, the Annual General Meeting of BAFRA Limited will be held at 5:00pm on the Saturday of the Convention, 4th April. It is open to all members. A full agenda will be circulated to members nearer the time. Part of the AGM is the election of directors for the Company. This year, four directors are standing down having completed their term of office: President, General Secretary, Director of Training and Director without Portfolio #1.
These positions are open to all qualified members. Nomination forms have been circulated electronically to qualified members and should be returned in accordance with the instructions on the forms.
The present incumbents have notified that they will be seeking re-election for the positions of President and Director without Portfolio #1 but the General Secretary and the Director of Training will be standing down when their term of office expires at the end of the AGM.
As of 5:00pm on 25th February, no nominations for any of the posts have yet been received. Members are reminded they have until 5:00pm on 7th March to submit their nominations.
The Directors encourage all qualified members to consider applying for one of the above four positions. If you are considering standing and would like more information about what is involved, please contact me or, if you prefer, another director for more details.
Paul Sutton – General Secretary
CHANGES TO THE ANNUAL EXAM
As the BUCS season draws to a close, It is that time of year when our attention turns to the BAFRA Convention and also to what I am sure is the highlight of the year for many, the annual exam.
As in previous years, the exam will be made available to members on the weekend of the Convention, however, this year, as the result of a project stretching back over 18 months involving the members of the Exam Committee and the Board of Directors, you will see changes to the contents and structure of the exam this year.
This year's exam will retain the traditional True/False questions, but will also introduce multiple choice and "fill in the blanks" questions. The overall number of questions is also being reduced from 100 to 80. More details will be provided in the period leading up to the exam being released.
There will be a presentation at the Convention covering the changes, as well as written documentation which will be made available on the BAFRA website.
Watch this space.
Pete Parsons - DWP #1
On behalf of Stuart Young, chair, BAFRA Exam Committee.
BAFRA POLO SHIRTS
The end of February is approaching so make sure to get your orders placed before the deadline!
This year we will again be organising a bulk order of BAFRA Polo tops for delivery at the 2020 convention. Those of you eligible for free Bowl Game shirts will be contacted shortly to confirm your status. In addition, all officials will have the chance to place an order.
The shirt choices we will be offering are as follows:
- Plain Black Polo with embroidered BAFRA Logo - NO TEXT - £12
- Coloured Polo with Embroidered BAFRA Logo and upto two lines of customisable text - £17
Payment will be required in advance and there may be a small charge for P&P for anybody who orders and fails to collect/ask someone to collect at the convention. Prices are based on expected size of order and are subject to change depending on orders received.
To register interest for this years order please fill out the following google form:
https://forms.gle/fFLq4gZ5DzoH1GA4A
You will be contacted to confirm your order, shirt colour/s and to request payment towards the end of the month.
Stuart Tabberer - Deputy Director of Finance
DISCIPLINARY CASES
NAME | # | TEAM | CODE | Q | OFFENCE | SUSPENDED | |
New this week | |||||||
Christian Butterworth | 50 | Bangor Muddogs | FPF | 4 | With 01:18 remaining in the game, during a Bangor interception return, #50 of the returning team jumped up and head butted a taller opponent. | Mr. Butterworth is due to serve his suspension in the next game he is eligible to play in. This is either the next regular season game for Bangor Muddogs. | |
Ibraheem Umar | 75 | KCL Regents | FGT | 4 | With 2:30 remaining in the fourth quarter, after the play was over, #75 was seen to throw a punch at an opponent. | 1st March 2020 v Bristol Barracuda | |
Unknown | n/a | NTU Renegades | OTH | Ball person from the home team under rule 9-2-7 for using abusive language towards an opposition player. | Unknown * As this was a disqualification of a non-player, this is a whole game day suspension as opposed to just a playing suspension. | ||
Ethan Takeyama | 5 | QMBL Vipers | TGT | 3 | With 6:17 remaining in the third quarter, the ball carrier was being driven forward in a pile. #5 came in and led with the crown of the helmet making contact with the ball carrier. | Mr. Takeyama is due to serve his suspension in the next game he is eligible to play in. This is either the next regular season game for QMBL Vipers. | |
Jason MacMillan | 1 | QMBL Vipers | TUF | 3 | #1 received a first Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty for shoving an opposing player in the back, after a play was over with 2:15 remaining in the third quarter. The second Unsportsmanlike Conduct act occurred after a runner was downed and away from the play. #1 was seen to change direction and contact an opponent intentionally from behind, the foul was not part of the game action and was unsportsmanlike. | Mr. MacMillan is due to serve his suspension in the next game he is eligible to play in. This is either the next regular season game for QMBL Vipers. | |
Previous weeks | |||||||
Irebomi Olukoya | 52 | Birmingham Lions | FGT | 4 | After a try, a pile formed in the endzone where #52 was seen to kick a prone opponent who was in the pile of players. | 29th Feb 2020 v Nottingham Students | |
Ethan Myers | 11 | Essex Blades | FGT | 4 | With 8:28 remaining in the fourth quarter, the player was seen to kick an opponent whilst in the pile at the end of the play. | 1st Mar 2020 v RHUL Bears |
GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS
HOME TEAM | REPORT | NEXT HOME GAME |
New this week | ||
Bath Killer Bees | The game was stopped twice to mend the chain set. Changing room was not lockable. Amir Brooks #593 | Unknown |
Bath Spa Bulldogs | Only 2 balls, in poor condition, supplied by Home Team but it was agreed to use 3 balls supplied but Away Team. Field marked with NFL-width hash marks. Albert Lambert Jnr #461 | Unknown |
Canterbury Chargers | Well marked 90-yard field, faintly marked in blue with other sport markings in red, white & yellow. No limit lines, numbers or none-yard marks. eight-yard end zones and coaching line at incorrect depth. One ball person changed in the second half due to injury. Changing room spacious and lockable but with no coat hooks. Tim Ockendon #481 | Unknown |
Derby Braves | No high-vis vests for Officials Assistants. Andrew Binns #575 | 1st Mar 2020 v Warwick Wolves |
Glasgow Tigers | Coaches boxes marked with cones. Change of ball person, with no notice, at start of the game, quickly rectified. Michael Prentice #393 | Unknown |
Gloucester Gladiators | Game called with 6:17 remaining in the fourth quarter. This was due to Gloucester injuries taking them down from 13 kitted players to 10 fit players. Krister Halvorsen #217 | Unknown |
Imperial Immortals (19th Feb) | The field was 90 yards, lines were painted in blue and were faint, which was exacerbated in the muddy conditions. The hash marks were too wide and there were no nine-yard marks.The hash marks and three-yard marks went into the endzone. Coaching and team areas were marked with cones. Richard Moger #472 | 22nd Feb 2020 v Essex Blades |
Imperial Immortals | Hash marks were far too wide and closer to where the nine-yard numbers would be. Also, the field had been marked as a 100-yard field with five-yard endzones, so shortened to 90 yards. This meant hash marks continued five-yards into each end zone. Very large area of sand in one area of the field. Andrew Murrell #608 | 23rd Feb 2020 v Brunel Burners |
Imperial Immortals (23rd Feb) | 90-yard, recently repainted in blue, with two large holes filled in with sand. The hash marks were too wide and there were no nine-yard marks. Hash marks went into the endzone and the three-yard marks were also marked in the endzone. Coaching and team areas marked with cones. Four game balls were provided but only three were at legal pressure. Game was played with six-minute quarters, as per waiver, to allow two games to occur within 36 hours. James Ford-Bannister #479 | Unknown |
Lancaster Bombers | 80-yard field with a very boggy approach. The field itself coped well with the recent rain. The markings had faded but were still visible. The medic arrived just in time for the kick off due to parking struggles. Darren Carr #326 | Unknown |
Leeds Beckett Carnegie | 80-yard field. No nine-yard marks or numbers. Team areas were missing but the teams showed good discipline. The changing room was too small for five officials and had no private toilet. The game was abandoned, with the consent of both head coaches, with 5:45 remaining in the fourth quarter, due to a serious neck injury to a Leeds player. David Hewitt #607 | Unknown |
Newcastle Raiders | Coaches box marked with cones. Daniel Johnston #347 | 1st Mar 2020 v Hull Sharks |
Oxford Lancers | No goal posts. Coaches agreed to play without Goals Graham Coleman #177 | Unknown |
RHUL Bears | Game was played at Test Park in Southampton. Goals overhang the endzone by about a yard. Markings have faded considerably and we're tough to see at times. Oliver Maskell #221 | 1st Mar 2020 v Essex Blades |
Sheffield Sabres | Field has been remarked, very clear and well done. Ian Wainwright #567 | Unknown |
Sunderland Spartans | Field markings were faint at the start of the game, they were made worse when the floodlights came on. Gordon Galloway #7 | Unknown |
Sussex Saxons | Well marked 4G 90-yard field, with markings in blue alongside other sports markings in different colours. The end lines for each endzone were bought in as, otherwise, the goal post would have been in the field of play. There were no numbers and team areas were marked with cones. The chain crew was changed at half time due to continued excessive celebration for home team scores. With a running clock, the game was abandoned at the end of the third quarter due to a shortage of players on the Chichester side, caused by a number of injuries during the course of the game.. Richard Moger #472 | 1st Mar 2020 v Solent Redhawks |
Winchester Silverbacks | Game was played at Test Park in Southampton. Goals overhang the endzone by about a yard. Markings have faded considerably and we're tough to see at times. Oliver Maskell #221 | Unknown |
Outstanding items from previous weeks | ||
ARU Rhinos | Goal posts were not correctly located. Larry Rigby #269 | 1st Mar 2020 v UCL Emperors |
Bristol Barracuda | Game was shortened to 10 minute quarters due to light requirements with a double header. Game was briefly stopped due to yard markers encroaching on the field. Kieran Smith #102 | 1st Mar 2020 v KCL Regents |
Brunel Burners | Game called off on arrival at the venue. Graham P Hedges #219 | 1st Mar 2020 v Exeter Demons |
Cardiff Cobras | During the second quarter, one of the game balls became deflated. Fortunately, gameday management had presented four game balls to the officials, prior to the match, so this didn't affect the game. Amir Brooks #593 | 1st Mar 2020 v Reading Knights |
Durham Saints | No three-yard marks. Coaching and Team areas were missing but cones were used. One game ball was replaced after deflating. David Hewitt #607 | 1st Mar 2020 v UEA Pirates |
LJMU Fury | 90-yard field, which had been remarked since the previous game played at JMO, although no players box were marked. One of the end zone pylons was not weighted, and would not stand up, so it was placed on the back corner to avoid any issues. Lee Taylor #183 | 1st Mar 2020 v Loughborough Students |
Portsmouth Destroyers | Changing rooms are not locked during the game. Weather was terrible. With the score at 8-0 at HT the teams discussed ending the game, after further discussion the third quarter was played with no addition to the score and the time remaining in the fourth quarter was reduced to 0 minutes. David Knight #135 | 1st Mar 2020 v Southampton Stags |
Stirling Clansmen | Field markings are blue rather than white, otherwise a well marked out field. Ian Sneddon #427 | 1st Mar 2020 v Swansea Titans |
PLAY OF THE WEEK: | |
New this week | Play: 4th & 10 at the A-25 yard line. Team A line up to punt the ball, A49 punts the ball and it is blocked by defender B94. The loose ball is recovered by B51 at the A-11 yard line. At the snap Team A had five players in the backfield.
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Last week | Play: 4th & 10 at the A-25 yard line. There is a strong wind blowing towards Team A’s goal line. Team A line up to punt the ball, A49 punts the ball the wind affects the flight of the ball and it lands one yard beyond the neutral zone at the A-26 where it is blown backwards to the A-15 yard line. A49 and defender B56 scramble to recover the loose ball, B56 is first to get to the ball, but he muffs the ball in his attempt to recover it. A49 then lands on the ball at the A-14 yard line. What is the next down and distance, what is the status of the clock?
As the kick has crossed the neutral zone, the continuity of the series of downs has been broken (5-1-4-b). As B56 has touched the ball after it crossed the neutral zone, A49 may legally recover the ball (6-3-3). As a scrimmage kick has crossed the neutral zone and Team A has ended the down in legal possession, Team A are awarded a new series of downs at the A-14 (5-1-1-e-2). As a legal kick down has ended the clock will start on the snap (3-3-2-d-8). N.B. By rule - the play clock should start counting down from 40 seconds when the ball is declared dead. However as this is a potentially confusing situation, there is likely to be an administrative stoppage to ascertain the correct ruling. If so, the play clock should be set to 25 seconds and start on the ready for play. |
MECHANICS: | |
New this week | Game Situation: On a 8 man crew, which officials should escort the team captains into the centre of the field for the coin toss?
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Last week | Game Situation: Upon arrival at the game site, there is a strong wind blowing and one set of goal posts has fallen down and broken. They cannot be repaired. The Team A Head Coach requests that they “play both ways” and that both teams will relocate to the end of the field with goal posts for kicking plays. How should the crew handle this?
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Date | Event | Contact for details |
24th March (Tues) | BUCS Premier Bowl (University of Nottingham) | |
24th March (Tues) | BUCS Division 1 Final (University of Nottingham) | |
4th - 5th April (Sat-Sun) | BAFRA Convention | |
9th May (Sat) | BAFRA Board Meeting | |
18h July (Sat) | BAFRA Board Meeting | |
14th November (Sat) | BAFRA Board Meeting |
BAFRA Directors | |||||
President | David Parsons | General Secretary | Paul Sutton | ||
Finance | Roger Brown | Operations | Roger Goodgroves | ||
Recruitment | Ollie Maskell | 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. |