Issue 15/23 20th April 2023
BAFRA Newsflash | |||
FINANCE MATTERS
A gentle reminder that Finance does not have the capacity to process one game invoices every week for every game. Teams should only be referred to Finance if they require a whole season or multiple game invoice.
The invoice templates provided on the website are PDF fillable, therefore Referees can create and email across the one game invoice you would typically issue on the day.
The pre-paid teams list will be reinstated from this week. A reminder that if a team is not on the list, they should be provided with an invoice and told to contact BAFRA Finance.
Stuart Tabberer - Director of Finance
UK EMERGENCY ALERT TEST
On Sunday 23rd April at 3pm, the government is going to test the Emergency Alert system. This will send a signal to most mobile phones that will involve a loud siren-like sound.
The test is going to happen in the middle of Sunday's games so there may be some disruption to them. Disruption can be minimised by asking players, coaches, sideline staff and officials to turn their phones off completely before the game, where they can. (Note that setting a phone to silent won't be enough.)
However, there may still be distractions from phones belonging to spectators or left in bags in the team area. Referees are authorised to call a brief referee's timeout when the alert goes off while people attend to their devices.
Hopefully the disruption to games will be slight, but being prepared will help.
This notice is going out to all BAFA members.
Jim Briggs - Chair, BAFA Rules Committee
rules@britishamericanfootball.org
2023 RULE BOOKS/MECHANICS MANUALS
Further to my piece last week, I have sent out all the Rule Books/Mechanics Manuals to those members who requested one. If you have not received your copy yet, please let me know.
Richard Moger – General Secretary
DISCIPLINARY CASES
NAME | # | TEAM | CODE | Q | OFFENCE | SUSPENDED | |
New this week | |||||||
Sam King | 24 | London Blitz B | FPF | 2 | At the end of a play, #24, while on the ground was seen to kick out studs first at an opposing player who was also on the ground. | 23rd April 2023 v London Hornets | |
Previous weeks | |||||||
Adam Wilkin | HC | Darlington Steam | MIS | OT | During Extra Periods Mr Wilkin made abusive remarks towards the Match Officials. (At the time of the Offence, Mr Wilkin was coaching the Gateshead Senators U19 team) | 23rd April 2023 v Scunthorpe Alphas * As this was a disqualification of a non-player, this is a whole game day suspension as opposed to just a playing suspension. Mr Wilkin may not be present at the game site in any capacity. | |
Gareth Thomas | 8 | South Wales Warriors | FGT | 1 | With 10:00 remaining in the first quarter, #8 was seen to throw a punch at an opponent during the act of tackling. The officials agreed that they did not see the act as an attempt to dislodge the ball and it was intentionally at the opponent's body. | 30th April 2023 v Bournemouth Bobcats | |
GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS
HOME TEAM | REPORT | NEXT HOME GAME |
New this week | ||
Bournemouth Bobcats | Changing rooms dirty, poorly lit, and not secure to keep possessions. The field surface at Slades Farm is very uneven and several holes had to be filled in before the game. Oliver Maskell #221 | 30th April 2023 v South Wales Warriors |
BUCS All-Star | The field was inconsistently marked - some 5-yard lines were more or less distance apart. The changing room was not lockable. Keith Wickham #423 | Unknown |
Cornwall Monarchs | Officials changing room is geared around a sole Rugby official and therefore inadequate for a good pregame. The shower did not work correctly (just cold water). It is appreciated that this is the team's first fixture at this venue. 80 yard field, marked to a 57 yard width. Simon Ryan #408 | 23rd April 2023 v Portsmouth Dreadnoughts |
DC Presidents | No three-yard lines and NFL-width hash marks. Player and coaches boxes for both sidelines were marked with cones. Game balls were fresh out of their bags and hence all three required inflation. Changing room was snug for a crew of four, larger crews may need to request a different room. The away team ended up supplying two officials assistants. Ali May #42 | 7th May 203 v Humber Warhawks |
Doncaster Mustangs | 90 yard field with eight-yard endzones. Robin Boyd #191 | 23rd April 2023 v Gateshead Senators |
Dunfermline Kings | Team areas marked to 25-yard lines. Ian Sneddon #427 | 14th May 2023 v Highland Stags |
Edinburgh Wolves | No team or coaching box marked, cones were used. No limit line. Henry Richardson #25 | 21st May 2023 v Tamworth Phoenix |
Hereford Stampede | Officials are given two changing rooms, both of which are barely big enough for three officials. Hereford's gameday management was excellent, and they provided the officials with isotonic drinks and Jaffa Cakes. Field markings are in blue and appear to be in IFAF yards. Amir Brooks #593 | 7th May 2023 v Ouse Valley Eagles |
Kent Phoenix (U16) | Changing room was the kit storage container, which was lockable but didn't have any light (artificial or natural) unless the door was open. London Blitz only had 11 kitted players and so forfeited both games, per competition regs. Following the completion of the one playable competitive fixture, all teams were involved in a controlled scrimmage. During this scrimmage, we discovered that both the London Blitz and the London Warriors had only brought white jerseys, and a competitive game between the two would not have been possible even if the squad sizes had been sufficient. Coaches will liaise on this before future fixtures. Ben Gadsby #564 | Unknown |
Leigh Miners | 80 yard field with blue markings.Tteam areas were marked to the 15-yard line at each end. No limit lines or numbers. Posts were around a foot outside the end line, this needs to be rectified before the next home game. Changing rooms are very small with insufficient space for officials to change, the crew moved into a vacated changing room to change. Peter Roberts #87 | 23rd April 2023 v Crewe Railroaders |
London Blitz | Due to heavy rain on previous days, the field surface was very soft in places down the centre of the field. The home team had done a good job of draining surface water which had been there the day before and using sand and soil to even out the surface where needed, and did so again after the first game of the double header. Some of the lines were feint and, due to the soft field surface cutting up, had become increasingly difficult to see in the first game. This became more so as the game went on. The short yard line extensions were not always one yard apart. Coaching boxes and team areas were marked with cones. The chain set was brand new and the box came apart in the middle at one point. The crew was given the big meeting room in which to change and, although it was not lockable, were given a separate, lockable room in which to store bags. Peter Parsons #321 | 14th May 2023 v Bristol Aztecs |
London Blitz B | Due to heavy rain on previous days, the field surface was very soft in places down the centre of the field. The home team had done a good job of draining surface water which had been there the day before and using sand and soil to even out the surface where needed. Some of the lines were feint and, due to the soft field surface cutting up, became increasingly difficult to see as the game went on. The short yard line extensions were not always one yard apart. Coaching boxes and team areas were marked with cones. The crew was given the big meeting room in which to change and, although it was not lockable, were given a separate, lockable room in which to store bags. Peter Parsons #321 | 23rd April 2023 v London Hornets |
London Warriors | Well marked 90-yard field with eight-yard end zones in blue with other sport markings in yellow, white, and red. No numbers or limit lines and rugby markings approximated for nine-yard marks. Changing rooms not lockable. There was a change in down box operator and ball person at half time. There was an injury delay of approximately eight minutes late in the second quarter. James Ford-Bannister #479 | 30th April 2023 v Kent Exiles |
Merseyside Nighthawks | There were a second set of short yard line extensions on one side of the field at approximately NFHS width. There were a number of other sports markings in similar colour to the Football Markings. There were no numbers or nine-yard marks. Team areas were marking between the 25-yard lines and there was no Coaching Line. Two changing rooms were provided for the officials, however they were only big enough for two people at a time. One of the changing room was occupied by female players upon arrival, so was unavailable for a period of time. Ben Griffiths #228 | 23rd April 2023 v Edinburgh Wolves |
Northants Knights | With 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter and a score of 14-8 to the Knights, a Knights player collapsed and required emergency medical treatment. All parties agreed it was no longer appropriate to continue. Joel Pearson #405 | 21st May 2023 v Chester Romans |
Swindon Storm (U16) | Field well marked. All significant lines were visible, as well as team areas and sidelines. Changing facilities were spacious and lockable. Scott Castle #626 | Unknown |
Outstanding items from previous weeks | ||
East Essex Sabres | After an injury to an Ipswich player, the game was suspended for a considerable time with 12:27 remaining in the third quarter, whilst awaiting an ambulance. Larry Rigby #269 | 23rd April 2023 v East Kent Mavericks |
Northumberland Vikings | 30 minute delay in the fourth quarter to treat an injured player. Liam Wooton #478 | 23rd April 2023 v Lancashire Wolverines |
Wakefield District Raiders | 80 yard well marked field wth ten yard enzones. Grass Rugby pitch was in good condition. Robin Boyd #191 | 28th May 2023 v Humber Warhawks |
Yorkshire Rams | Reasonably well marked field. No three-yard marks, nine-yard marks, or numbers. Team areas were incorrectly marked out between the 25-yard lines. The chain set broke on three occasions requiring a hold up of the game. All three game balls required adjustment prior to kick off. David Hewitt #607 | 4th June 2023 v Northumberland Vikings |
Endzone will return when the BAFRA Exam Period is over.
Date | Event | Contact for details |
BAFRA Directors | |||||
President | David Parsons | General Secretary | Richard Moger | ||
Finance | Stuart Tabberer | Operations | Oliver Maskell | ||
Recruitment | Susannah Taylor | Training | James Ford-Bannister | ||
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. |
