Issue 10/26 1st April 2026
BAFRA Newsflash | |||
JOHN SLAVIN AWARD - BUCS SEASON 2025/26
Congratulations to Southampton Stags who are the winners of the John Slavin Award for the BUCS 2025/26 season. The award is named after John Slavin. John was a long-serving BAFRA official and sometime director of the Association who sadly died in October 2005. In his memory, BAFRA has dedicated an award made to a team that shows commitment to improving the game experience for players and fans, as well as officials.
BAFRA awards the John Slavin Trophy in odd-numbered years to the team with the best game day management. This includes prompt provision of properly attired and effective chain crew and ball persons, spectator facilities such as covered seats, a scoreboard and a referee’s microphone and a game day manager available to the officiating crew from when they arrive. The title is awarded to the team that has comes out best in an audit carried out by BAFRA members at each game. A perfect facility scores 0.
More information, including a list of the best performing teams, may be found on the BAFRA website at: www.bafra.info/info/jst/BUCS2026.pdf.
Paul Sutton - BAFRA Assistant General Secretary
JOHN SLAVIN AWARD - BAFANL 2026
As a reminder, we move to a field audit for the BAFANL 2026 season. The webmaster will make this available from 1st April in the game day electronic “paperwork”.
Paul Sutton - BAFRA Assistant General Secretary
QUALIFIED - PHIL MACGOVERN
Congratulations to Phil MacGovern on completing all the requirements to become Qualified.
Thanks to Gerry Mellough and everyone helping with Phil’s training.
James Ford-Bannister - Director of Training
DISCIPLINARY CASES
NAME | # | TEAM | OFFENCE | SUSPENDED |
New this week | ||||
Tio Benjamin | 11 | MMU Eagles | Flagrant Unsportsmanlike Conduct | The next two games that Tio Benjamin is on the roster to play in,this will likely either be for the MMU Eagles or the Manchester Titans |
GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS
HOME TEAM | REPORT | NEXT HOME GAME |
New this week | ||
Army Jackals | The game was suspended for 30 minutes as a player was treated for a broken arm. Keith Wickham #423 | Unknown |
Cambridge Pythons | Well-marked field, but team areas were marked to the 25-yard lines. Brian Yates #29 | 5th April 2026 v Lancaster Bombers |
Cambridgeshire Cats | No changing facilities were available until after the game due to the rugby tournament. Field marked in faint blue, the lines being at least 6 inches wide. NFL-width hash marks. Field marked in IFAF-yards with the chain altered to suit. End zones were about nine yards deep, and the goals were about two to three yards beyond the end line and slightly askew to the field. No team areas marked. No nine-yard marks or numbers. Brian Yates #29 | 26th April 2026 v London Blitz |
Edinburgh Napier Knights | Chains had to be repaired on three occasions. This game was a great advert for BUCS football, plaudits to both teams for a competitive game. Gordon Galloway #7 | Unknown |
Gateshead Senators | Both goals sat at a jaunty offset angle! The changing room was a committee room with no showers, no privacy, and was not lockable. The chain crew was changed in full at halftime. Gordon Galloway #7 | 31st May 2026 v Darlington Steam |
Manchester Tyrants | Field markings below full standards. Field marked in Black, there where white field markings closer than four feet to multiple end zone lines. There were no nine-yard marks or numbers. There were no limit lines or team area markings of any sort. There were numerous stoppages due to breakages of the line-to-gain indicators. The away team (MMU Eagles) had provided announcers for the venue, however they repeatedly commentated while the ball was live. The changing room was not lockable.The officials assistants were provided only ten minutes before kickoff. Ben Griffiths #228 | Unknown |
NFL Academy | No team areas marked. Jed Brookes-Lewis #395 | Unknown |
Oxford Saints | A well-marked 100-yard field in blue. Other markings present in white. Two changing rooms provided and lockable on request of the front desk staff. The home team provided a stadium announcer. James Ford-Bannister #479 | 3rd May 2026 v Portsmouth Dreadnoughts |
QMBL Vipers | Two changing rooms were supplied, which were a short walk from the field. 90-yard field marked in blue alongside white rugby markings. Ground staff had marked two solid blue lines connecting the hash marks. Two stoppages for chains breaking. Graham Smith #149 | Unknown |
Reading Knights | Everyone agreed to adjust the kick-off time to accommodate the local road closures caused by the Reading half marathon. There were no nine-yard marks on an otherwise good field. Dean Wright #553 | Unknown |
Sheffield Hallam Warriors | Field markings below full standards. The field was marked in faint orange/red and was very difficult to see, especially for the Referee, Back Judge and Umpire. There were white field markings closer than four feet to multiple end zone lines. There were no nine-yard marks or numbers. There were no team area markings of any kind. The changing room provided was only large enough for one or two officials and not a crew of five. The changing rooms were lockable by the sports centre staff, but they were not always around to unlock the changing room when required. The Chain Crew were only provided shortly before the scheduled kick-off time, resulting in a short delay while they were briefed. Ben Griffiths #228 | Unknown |
Solent Thrashers | The field was recently remarked in yellow although the 50-yard line and both end lines were white. The plane of the Goals were one-yard into the end zone (the Goal Post was outside the end zone). One ball person changed at half time. Two of three game balls provided required inflation, one required deflation. No numbers but nine-yard marks were present. Other non-football lines present but in different colours. Steve Currie #554 | 26th April 2026 v Bristol Apache |
Tarannau Aberystwyth | One official withdrew on the morning of the game due sickness, resulting in the game being covered by a minimum three-person crew. 100-yard natural grass field, marked clearly in white. There were no nine-yard marks or numbers and hash marks were of NFL-width. Team areas had been marked to the 30-yard lines. There were also no pylons at the hash marks extended. During the game, there were a myriad of changes to the chain crew, mostly taking place without warning when an assistant's partner came out of the game. An all male crew were provided a large but unlockable room with no private shower or toilet in the female changing block and this was located in a different postcode to the field. Ian Rogers #625 | Unknown |
York Centurions | Very well-marked 100-yard field. Team areas were missing but marked out using cones. David Hewitt #607 | Unknown |
PLAY OF THE WEEK: | |
New this week | Play: Team A 2nd and 5 at the B-45. Wide Receiver A88 is running a pass route near the sideline, untouched by an opponent, he then steps on the sideline with one foot, he then take multiple further steps which all take place in bounds. QB A1 throws the ball to A88, the pass hits A88 in the chest and then falls incomplete. Defensive End B99 is flagged for Roughing the Passer
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Last week | Play: 4th and Goal at the B-5 yard line. Team A are trailing by 3 points. 3 seconds remain in the game. Quarterback A12 drops back to pass, as he starts his throwing motion his arm is hit by defensive end B98, who does no touch the ball. The contact with the passers arm affects the direction of the pass, and the ball first hits offensive lineman B51 on the back of the helmet and then the ball then bounces high into the air, it is then caught by Wide Receiver A89 in the endzone. Time expired during the down.
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MECHANICS: | |
New this week | Game Situation: When should the uncatchable pass signal (S17) be used?
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Last week | Game Situation: The opening kick-off of the game results in a Touchback, on the ensuing play from scrimmage Team A complete a pass for 9 yards. Team A substitute their Wide Receivers to bring in extra Running Backs, Team B make matching Substitutes. The Umpire moves towards the snapper and instructs him not to snap the ball. The Quarterback calls out the cadence and the snapper, snaps the ball. Answer: As this is a first offence suit the play down and issue Team A with a warning, for any subsequent instances by the same team, they should be penalised for Delay of Game (M3.4.1.e). |
Date | Event | Contact for details |
BAFRA Directors | |||||
President | David Parsons | General Secretary | Richard Moger | ||
Finance | Mark Schofield | Operations | Oliver Maskell | ||
Recruitment | Emma Harris | 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 ([email protected]) is midnight Tuesday. |
