Issue 6/24 29th February 2024
BAFRA Newsflash | |||
BAFRA ANNUAL CONVENTION – SAT 6TH AND SUN 7TH APRIL 2024
Update
We are very close to 100 registrations. However, for anyone still thinking of registering, we do still have places available, so you still have the opportunity to attend. Also, for those still to register, it is well worth noting that this year we will be celebrating our 40th anniversary. Our President, Davie Parsons, has on many occasions praised the BAFRA members for our continued success – after all, it is the members’ continued willingness to step up and contribute in so many different ways that enables us to adapt to changing circumstances whilst still providing the best possible service to British American Football (and beyond). So, if you can, come along and help us celebrate. Please remember that we only publish attendees’ names to BAFRA members, so that you can check that we have received/actioned your registration application. Please remember that if you have registered very recently your name may not appear on the list until next week.
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 find details of the location and directions: https://www.yarnfieldpark.com
Registration
You can now register to attend the Convention at the following link and book accommodation if required: BAFRA 2024 Convention Registration See also QR Code at the bottom of this message.
Administering the registration process and processing payments for accommodation is a time-consuming task given our high attendance figures. As such I would request you register and make your room payments as early as possible.
Accommodation
As mentioned above, we have again negotiated excellent rates for accommodation which are detailed below. 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 the above link.
Payment
Payment for Convention rooms is due by 12th March. Payment can be made either electronically or by cheque.
Cheques should be for the full amount, made payable to BAFRA Ltd and sent to:
Stuart Tabberer
30 Clover Ground
Bristol
BS9 4UH
If paying electronically, please ensure your payment reference is your full name and BAFRA number e.g., “Stuart Tabberer 348”:
Account Number: 10255350
Sort Code: 16-16-11
Bank Account Name: BAFRA LTD
It is appreciated that some people may wish to spread the cost and make multiple payments over the weeks leading up to 12th 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 Game Fees by direct transfer to your bank account.
Friday Night
Most members who attend the convention arrive on a Friday night to save an early rise and travel on the 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.
Finally
If you have any questions or queries around the convention, please drop an email to convention@bafra.info and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Ian Sneddon - Convention Delivery Team
convention@bafra.info
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF BAFRA LTD
The Annual General Meeting of BAFRA Limited will be held during the Convention at 5pm on Saturday 6th April 2024. It is open to all members. A full agenda will be circulated to members nearer the time.
Part of the AGM is to decide on the BAFRA Charity for 2024. Any BAFRA member can nominate a charity, if you wish to do so, please contact me.
In addition, the election of directors for the Company will take place at the AGM. Four posts are due for election this year:
The present incumbent for each of these posts has indicated that they will be seeking re-election.
As of 9pm on Tuesday 27th February the following nominations for these posts have been received:
President
David Parsons #425 – Proposed by Henry Richardson #25 Seconded by Steve Tonkinson #99
General Secretary
Richard Moger #472 – Proposed by Paul Sutton #312 Seconded by Emma Payne #236
Director of Training
James Ford Bannister #479 – Proposed by Amir Brooks #593 Seconded by Alan Christopher #599
Director without Portfolio #1
Pete Parsons #479 – Proposed by Ollie Maskell #221 Seconded by Susannah Taylor #335
I will provide a further list next week.
These positions are open to all qualified members and nomination forms have been circulated to all qualified members. If you have not received this please contact me.
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.
Richard Moger – General Secretary
LATEST BOARD MEETING MINUTES
The minutes of the most recent Board Meeting can be found here:
https://www.bafra.info/members/minutes/eb20240217.pdf
Richard Moger – General Secretary
QUALIFIED - STUART ALGER
Congratulations to Stuart Alger on his return to BAFRA and completing all the requirements necessary to return to Qualified status.
Thanks to Joel Pearson and all those who assisted with Stuart’s return.
James Ford-Bannister - Director of Training
GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS
HOME TEAM | REPORT | NEXT HOME GAME |
New this week | ||
Brighton Panthers | Balls presented were slightly under-inflated. Team areas were marked with cones and, generally, the field is very faint and hard to see in places. Both teams had predominantly black jerseys, but Surrey wore white game pants and had big white numbers to make them distinguishable. Oliver Maskell #221 | 10th March 2023 v UCL Emperors |
Brunel Burners | Played at Hertfordshire Hurricanes venue. 90-yard recently re-laid artificial field marked with NFL-width hash marks. No numbers or nine-yard marks. Coaching boxes and team areas were marked with cones. Officials changing rooms are too small for a crew of five, but the crew were given two changing rooms to accommodate everyone. James Ford-Bannister #479 | 3rd March 2024 v Oxford Saints |
Exeter Demons | 90-yard artificial field with seven-yard end zones. The lines had been remarked since the last game; all solid lines are now the same colour and narrow short-yard-line extensions marks marked in contrasting blue. Lockable changing in easy reach of the field. Francis Bevan #474 | 3rd March 2024 v Bournemouth Bobcats |
Glasgow University Tigers | Short-yard-line extensions were not all one yard apart. The team areas were not marked out at 20-yard lines. Ian Sneddon #427 | Unknown |
Kent Falcons | Well marked 90-yard field in red with other sports markings in yellow, blue, and red. Team area perimeters were marked out with cones. Rugby lines approximated for team area lines & nine-yard marks. No numbers or limit lines. Three Changing rooms all lockable and close to the field of play Graham Smith #149 | Unknown |
Lancaster Bombers | 80-yard grass field marked in blue. The field did cut up during the game making some of the lines and markings difficult to see. Although the crew changing room was adequate, it was a considerable distance away from the field. Steve Hall #512 | Unknown |
Leeds Beckett Carnegie | 80-yard field. No three-yard marks, nine-yard marks, or numbers. Team areas were missing but were marked out with cones. Several other sports markings were present in close proximity to the end zones. The chain set broke on several occasions requiring a stoppage to play for repair. David Hewitt #607 | Unknown |
Leeds Gryphons | 80-yard field. No three-yard marks, nine-yard marks, or numbers. Team areas were missing but marked out with cones. Several other sports markings were present in close proximity to the endzones. The changing room was too small for a crew of five but there wasn't a bigger room available due to a rugby game being played. With approximately 5:55 remaining in the fourth quarter, after losing a lineman to injury, the Edinburgh head coach asked for the game to be called due to a lack of players and this was agreed to by the Leeds coach. Edinburgh had already lost several players to injury including a defensive player with a broken leg. The crew wishes him a speedy recovery from his injury. David Hewitt #607 | |
Manchester Tyrants | Well marked field in blue with other sports markings in white. There were no marked team areas, so cones were utilised instead. Jed Brookes-Lewis #395 | 3rd March 2024 v Warwick Wolves |
Northumbria Mustangs | Team areas were marked with cones, but the field was otherwise well marked. The changing room was shared with soccer officials. The game was played in good spirits by both teams. Gordon Galloway #7 | |
Nottingham Gold | Field markings in red and faded. Other sports markings were located very close to the football markings. Team areas were too close to the sidelines. Andrew Murrell #608 | 10th March 2024 vs Durham Saints |
Nottingham Green | Field markings in red and faded. Other sports markings were located very close to the football markings. Team areas were too close to the sidelines. Andrew Murrell #608 | Unknown |
NTU Renegades | 90-yard field marked as 80 metres. Kick-off were from the 25-metre line. Three-yard marks at the two-metre line. Short-yard-line extensions continue into the end zones. Chains needed repair on two occasions. Brian Yates #29 | 3rd March 2024 v Leeds Gryphons |
Sussex Saxons | Three-yard marks were marked at the two-yard line. Dean Wright #553 | Unknown |
Swansea Titans | Game played at Gloucester. Swansea provided the game balls and one ballboy. Gloucester provided the chain set, chain, crew and one ballboy. One game ball had to be replaced after it became deflated during the game. There was one stoppage to repair the chain set. Amir Brooks #593 | TBC v Imperial Immortals |
UCL Emperors | Well marked 90-yard field with eight-yard end zones in blue with other sports markings in yellow, white, & red. No numbers or limit lines and rugby markings approximated for the nine-yard marks. One of the chain stakes had been damaged making it shorter than regulation. The game balls provided were all below legal pressure. The changing rooms were not lockable. The kick-off was delayed by 20 minutes due to the late arrival of visiting team. Tim Ockendon #481 | Unknown |
UEA Pirates | The game was delayed for 45 minutes, with 6:50 remaining in the fourth quarter, for the treatment of an injured player. William Marriage #293 | Unknown |
UWE Bullets | Changing rooms were too small for the whole crew, so two were provided. One of the two provided was shared with other sports officials. Julian Mallia #336 | 9th March 2023 v Leeds Beckett Carnegie |
PLAY OF THE WEEK: | |
New this week | Play: 4th and 20 at Midfield. B89 is lined up as a punt returner at the B-10 yard line. Team A punt the ball and before it hits the ground B89 deliberately bats the ball backwards at the B-10. The ball bounces once in the endzone and then touches the end line.
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Last week | Play: The Game is being played at a sports field surrounded by a wire mesh fence. 1st and 10 at Midfield. There is movement by the offensive and defensive lines after discussion A69 is penalised for a False Start, in reaction to hearing he has been penalised A69 makes a disparaging remark towards the Umpire, he is penalised for a Flagrant Unsportsmanlike Conduct and disqualified. He leaves the playing field and positions himself outside the wire mesh fence. After benign requested by the officials; game management asks A69 to leave sight of the field. A69 shouts that he is outside the field of play and can stand where he likes, A69 then makes another disparaging remark towards the officials.
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MECHANICS: | |
New this week | Game Situation: Team A 3rd & 5 at Midfield. Tight End A83 is lined up to the left of the formation. Defensive End B91 lines up immediately opposite A83 Team A attempt a sweep to the right hand side of the field. A83 charges takes one step forward and attempts to block B91. A83 is out of position and blocks B91 in the back. Running back A25 gains 6 yards before he is pushed out of bounds at the B-44 yard line.
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Last week | Game Situation: On a 5 man crew, Team A take a timeout. Both teams huddle near their respective sidelines. Team B is on the press-box sideline. The Umpire informs the crew that the timeout is nearing its end and the wing officials on both sidelines encourage their respective teams to return to the field. Team A return to the field. The Line Judge has been reminding Team B that the timeout is expiring and they should return to the field, but they are still huddling around a Coach. The timeout expires and the ball is declared ready for play. Team A are ready and in position for their next offensive play, Team B are not. How should the officials react? Answer: If no players from Team B are ready to play when Team A is set to snap the ball following a timeout, penalise Team B for delay of game. Do not give Team A a free play (M3.4.1.c). The officials on the sideline are responsible for ensuring that the captain or coach of the team knows that the timeout is about to end (M3.4.1.c & M17.1.9.c). |
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. |
