NAME

#

TEAM

CODE

Q

OFFENCE

SUSPENDED

Previous weeks

Ben Heudebourck

4

Canterbury Chargers

TGC

2

With 4:28 remaining in the second quarter, Canterbury #4 led, and made forcible contact, with the crown of their helmet into the chest/midriff area of the passer.

21st January 2024 v Greenwich Mariners

Olaite Okunlola

61

Nottingham Green

TUF

2

The player was penalised for UC-TAU in the first quarter after taunting an opposing player. With 0:24 remaining in the second quarter, the player was penalised for UC-ABL after directing an expletive towards an official after being penalised for a separate foul.

21st January 2024 v Derby Braves

HOME TEAM

REPORT

NEXT HOME GAME

Outstanding items from previous weeks

Bath Spa Bulldogs

90-yard field marked in blue with several lines that were not completely straight and with rugby markings in white. Hash marks at NFL-width. No numbers or nine-yard marks. No marked coaching boxes or team areas, but the five-metre rugby marks were used to indicate the approximate location of the coaching line. No limit lines. The crew used the visiting team changing room to change once it had been vacated. It was not lockable.

Peter Parsons #321

28th January 2024 v Worcester Royals

Birmingham Lions

No team areas marked. Field marked in black which is barely visible in sunlight.

Stuart Tabberer #348

28th January 2024 v Portsmouth Destroyers

Brighton Panthers

100-yard artificial field with dark blue American football markings that were not easily visible in the pouring rain.

Viktor Janvari #63

11th February 2024 v Sussex Saxons

Bristol Barracuda

The field was marked with black lines which have become faint and can be hard to see in places.

Keith Wickham #423

11th February 2024 v Exeter Demons

Brunel Burners

Due to weather-related pitch concerns at Brunel, this game was played at Hertfordshire instead. The field at Herts is marked in blue on an artificial green surface and can be difficult to see under floodlights or in the low winter sun. Hashmarks are NFL-width. No team areas were marked. Multiple changes to the chain crew (supplied by Hertfordshire) during the game.

Andrew Murrell #608

28th January 2024 v Reading Knights

Canterbury Chargers

90-yard artificial field - all American Football markings in blue, with Rugby markings in Red and other sports in yellow and white. The changing room was not lockable but is otherwise fine. The entire chain crew plus one ball person were changed as the original volunteers were unable to stay for the entire game. Game balls and officials assistants were provided quite late as the gameday manager had to drive back home to pick up the game balls.

Phil Clarke #262

28th January 2024 v Kingston Cougars

Cardiff Cobras

The lines and markings are very faint but Cardiff said they intend to repaint them before their next home game.

Keith Wickham #423

11th February 2024 v Portsmouth Destroyers

Chichester Spitfires

Originally a 90-yard field with too short endzones, it was agreed with both teams to have an 80-yard field with 11-yard endzones and moved the cones. Hash marks were marked too wide, so the ball was always spotted closer to the middle. The home team was not involved in the painting of the field, they promised to rectify the field markings for their next home match.

Viktor Janvari #63

21st January 2024 v Surrey Stingers

Coventry University Jets

Due to late notification from the home team of the revised kick-off time (noon), the game kicked off 15 minutes late on agreement with both Head Coaches - due to the late arrival of an official. Markings were dark blue on a green artificial field but were visible.

Krister Halvorsen #77

4th February 2024 v Leicester Longhorns

Derby Braves

No coaches or team areas. Other sports lines were on the field, but they were different colours.

John Roberts #145

21st January 2024 v Nottingham Green

DMU Lions

With 2:18 remaining in the second quarter, a serious injury necessitated a prolonged stoppage - both coaches agreed to take halftime at this point and the remaining 2:18 was played following a stoppage of approximately one hour, at which point teams immediately began the third quarter. One home team player was observed to have a different number on his arms to their chest - he appeared on the roster as their chest number.

Joel Pearson #405

21st January 2024 v Cambridge Pythons

Essex Blades

Kick off was delayed by 30 minutes due to the Essex Head Coach and an assistant coach, both London based, not arriving at the venue by the scheduled kick-off time - due to train issues. Only two game balls were available at the beginning of the game. The third game ball was supplied at half-time. NFL-width hash marks. The chain crew were supplied late and changed at halftime.

William Marriage #293

11th February 2024 UEA Pirates

Exeter Demons

90-yard field marked in blue with no nine-yard marks, team areas, or coaching areas. All lines were very skinny at <1” and this made them hard to see.

Oliver Maskell #221

21st January 2024 v Bristol Barracuda

Glasgow University Tigers

The game was played on a caged soccer field with no goals. Glasgow provided one set of goals which did not meet the required height or width. The game had to be played toward the one set of goals. Team and coaching areas were not marked out, but the team marked them with cones.

Ian Sneddon #427

21st January 2024 v Heriot-Watt Wolverines

Greenwich Mariners

90-yard field, marked in blue with markings for other sports in yellow, white, and red. No numbers or nine-yard marks were present. The changing room for the officials is too small even for a crew of four and isn't lockable for storing gear. The gym changing area was used instead.

Phil Clarke #262

21st January 2024 v Canterbury Chargers

Hertfordshire Hurricanes

90-yard field recently remarked. Two changing rooms supplied only one lockable.

Graham Smith #149

28th January 2024 v Oxford Lancers

Imperial Immortals

A well-marked 90-yard field with no numbers or nine-yard marks. Team areas were missing. Canterbury played in borrowed Bournemouth uniform which meant black/red played navy/white but it presented no issues.

The changing room was not lockable and was a short walk from the field.

James Ford-Bannister #479

4th February 2024 v Greenwich Mariners

KCL Regents

90-yard field, marked in blue with markings for other sports in yellow, white, and red. No numbers or nine-yard marks were present.

Darren Urben #438

21st January 2024 v Essex Blades

Kent Falcons

The game was suspended twice for initial treatment of injured players and to allow the medical staff to move them off the field of play once able - the longest delay was 15 minutes. The changing room provided was adequate size for four officials but there are four changing rooms available should a larger crew be assigned and we are given the keys to the rooms allocated. 90-yard artificial field with multiple sports markings using various colours. The American Football markings are predominately red apart from where they share a line with another sport. Officials assistants provided quite late but it didn't delay kick-off..

Phil Clarke #262

28th January 2024 v KCL Regents

Kingston Cougars

Well marked 100-yard field. One end was very muddy. Kick-off delayed by ten minutes due to game day management not finding chain crew in time

Darren Urben #438

4th February 2024 v City Wolfpack

Lancaster Bombers

80-yard field with no limit lines. The field had been originally marked out as 90 yards but had to be reduced to 80 to accommodate the end zones so the hash marks continued into the end zones. The game was suspended for ten minutes in the second quarter due to a head injury to a Lancaster player. After being assessed by medical personnel he did not return to the game.

Tim Vickers #129

21st January 2024 v Keele Crusaders

Leeds Beckett Carnegie

80-yard field. Team areas were marked with cones.

Paul Todd #289

21st January 2024 v Durham Saints

Leeds Gryphons

80-yard field with no three-yard marks, nine-yard marks, or numbers. Team areas were missing but were marked out with cones. There were several lines from other sports in close proximity to the end zones.

David Hewitt #607

20th January 2024 v LJMU Fury

Leicester Longhorns

Clearly marked grass field. However, hashes were marked too narrow and the three-yard marks were marked at the two-yard line. Team areas were marked in cones. The changing room provided was too small for 5 officials.

Emma Payne #236

21st January 2024 v Warwick Wolves

Liverpool Raptors

Team areas were absent and the field markings were faint in places. Otherwise, a well-marked 90-yard field.

Paul Todd #289

24th January 2024 v LJMU Fury

LJMU Fury

Team areas were absent and the field markings were faint in places. Otherwise, a well-marked 90-yard field.

Paul Todd #289

11th February 2024 v Liverpool Raptors

Loughborough Students

Team area ends marked with cones. One change to the chain crew during the second quarter.

Brian Yates #29

4th February 2024 v Durham Saints

MMU Eagles

80-yard field with ten-yard end zone and no team areas, nine-yard marks, or three-yard marks. Two chain crew members changed at half-time.

Richard McEwen #206

28th January 2024 v Leeds Gryphons

Northumbria Mustangs

90-yard field marked in red. Team areas were marked with cones.

Liam Wooton #478

28th January 2024 v York Centurions

Nottingham Gold

Field markings in red and faded. Other sports markings were located very close to the line. The team areas were too close to the sideline.

Jed Brookes-Lewis #395

28th January 2024 v Durham Saints

Nottingham Green

Field markings in red and faded. Other sports markings were located very close to the line. The team areas were too close to the sideline.

Jed Brookes-Lewis #395

11th February 2024 v Lincoln Colonials

NTU Renegades

Multiple Issues:

1. A game ball was changed during the first half as it became under-inflated.

2. Multiple lines of different colours from other sports on the field.

3. Had marks continuing into End Zone.

4. The length of the chains didn’t align with the field markings and the crew were unable to adjust the chains to match them. The changing room was small for a crew of five.

Andrew Lovell #559

21st January 2024 v Sheffield Hallam Warriors

Oxford Lancers

Parking for the venue is in an adjacent site and has keycard access to lift the barrier. The first official arriving will need to go and find someone from gameday to open up. Changing facilities are in a cricket pavilion approximately 200 yards from the field and are not lockable. The field itself is well marked however there is a permanent rope fencing around it which means the away team sideline are hemmed in and don't have a lot of room to move back in. There was a ten-minute injury stoppage for a Hertfordshire player.

Andrew Murrell #608

21st January 2024 v Reading Knights

Plymouth Blitz

The field had been marked out by the Local Authority on a Rugby Pitch. It was a very wide field and both coaches were happy to play on the field. NFL-width hash marks. College hash marks were marked out using cones on each end line. Nine-yard marks were very small and in red (the rest of the lines were white.)

Dave Moore #92

21st January 2024 v Tarannau Aberystwyth

Portsmouth Destroyers

90-yard field pained in a fading orange colour.

Oliver Maskell #221

4th February 2024 v UWE Bullets

QMBL Vipers

Crew arrived at Venue at 10:10, HC for Kent informed us that the team bus had not yet arrived in Kent at 10:20. Crew waited until 10:45 and then were informed by Kent HC that players would not be arriving

Darren Urben #438

28th January 2024 v UEA Pirates

Reading Knights

The team areas were marked to the 25-yard lines. The field was well-marked but deteriorated as the game progressed.

Pete Thom #200

4th February 2024 v RHUL Bears

Sheffield Sabres

No team areas so rugby markings were used as approximations. The away team did not have a printed roster but hastily produced a handwritten one before kickoff.

Joel Pearson #405

4th February 2024 v York St. John Jaguars

Southampton Stags

90-yard field. A handful of stoppages of around five minutes for injuries. One change to the chain crew at half-time.

Oliver Maskell #221

11th February 2024 v Bournemouth Bobcats

Stirling Clansmen

The field was recently re-marked, but incorrectly. Fortunately, the old lines were still clear enough to use.

Ian Sneddon #427

21st January 2024 v Edinburgh Wolves

Surrey Stingers

90-yard field marked in blue on a rugby pitch. Field markings beginning to fade.

Darren Urben #438

28th January 2024 v Brighton Panthers

UCLan Rams

100-yard field marked out in blue paint with other non-football markings in other colours. No team or coaching areas were marked out on either side. The officials marked out the home team area with cones in the short time afforded. Kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes with the agreement of both Head Coaches due to a scheduling error. Half-time was called with approximately 0:15 remaining in the second quarter due to a serious injury to an Edge Hill player. The second half was delayed by approximately 20 minutes for treatment and for the player to be taken to hospital. All the crew wish the player a full and speedy recovery.

Peter Roberts #87

11th February 2024 v Lancaster Bombers

UWE Bullets #2

Officials were given two small changing rooms (both sized for three persons). Only one of these rooms is lockable.

Amir Brooks #593

28th January 2024 v Swansea Titans

Warwick Wolves

Faded blue markings on an artificial surface, which were very difficult to see. At one goal line the line was painted over/blended into another sport line which made it very difficult to judge the goal line. The jerseys were black for one team and dark green for the other, with white numbers and black pants. In worse light or weather, this would have been a very difficult game to officiate with the similarities in kit.

Emma Payne #236

11th February 2024 v Coventry Jets

York Centurions

Field was marked out as 100 IFAF yards. Team areas were absent but the teams kept to their correct areas with discipline. The changing room was realistically only big enough for three people.

David Hewitt #607

19th November 2023 v Sheffield Sabres

York St. John Jaguars

90-yard field. No team areas were marked out but teams showed good discipline. One of the game balls required inflation prior to use. The field markings were in red and were quite faint in places. Hash marks were of NFL width. Sheffield didn't have all of their jerseys until the scheduled kick-off time so kick-off was delayed by five minutes whilst several players got the correct jersey on and the roster was subsequently completed.

David Hewitt #607

21st January 2024 v Northumbria Mustangs

PLAY OF THE WEEK:

New this week

Play: 2nd & 8 at Team’s B 40-yard line. 1:56 remains in the second quarter. A66 snaps the ball high to quarterback A10 who has to jump to control the snap. Whilst still airborne at Team B’s 45-yard line, A10 pitches the ball forwards to A88 who has run across the front of A10. A88 runs wide to the right and runs out of bounds at Team B’s 30-yard line. During A88’s run, B24 blocks A73 below the waist 6 yards beyond the neutral zone.

What is the next down and distance? What is the game clock status?

Ruling?

Last week

Play: A12 throws a forward pass intended for A89. During the pass, defensive end B88 is flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. The pass to A89 is complete for a 10-yard gain to the A-30 where A88 is tackled.

Ruling: The penalty is enforced at the end of the run, which is the A-30; first and 10 for Team A at the A-45. (9-2-1)

MECHANICS:

New this week

Game Situation: Should the Umpire should give a tipped ball signal (S11) when a ball kicked from a punt is partially blocked at the line of scrimmage?

Answer next issue…

Last week

Game Situation: Three separate rules refer to "striking" an opponent: how do we decide which foul to call?

Answer: M3.5.7.a. Three rules talk about "striking" an opponent.

• (Personal foul (Rule 9-1-2-a): Normally use this for action that occurs while the ball is live. Unless the action could cause catastrophic injury, don’t regard it as flagrant.
• Unsportsmanlike conduct (Rule 9-2-1-a-1-j): Normally use this for action that occurs in the aftermath of a play.
• Fighting (Rules 2-32-1 and 9-5-1): Normally reserve this for more serious, more severe, more prolonged action. It is unlikely that a single strike constitutes a fight. If in doubt, it is not fighting

Date

Event

Contact for details

2024

6th April (Sat) 2024

BAFRA Ltd. AGM

secretary@bafra.info

6th-7th April (Sat-Sun) 2024

BAFRA Convention

secretary@bafra.info

BAFRA Directors

President

David Parsons

president@bafra.info

General Secretary

Richard Moger

secretary@bafra.info

Finance

Stuart Tabberer

finance@bafra.info

Operations

Oliver Maskell

operations@bafra.info

Recruitment

Susannah Taylor

recruitment@bafra.info

Training

James Ford-Bannister

training@bafra.info

Director without Portfolio #1

Peter Parsons

dwp1@bafra.info

Director without Portfolio #2

Steve Tonkinson

dwp2@bafra.info

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.