The British American Football Association (BAFA) was founded in 1987 as the governing body of the game in Great Britain. BAFA is responsible for all regulatory aspects of the game of American football in Great Britain.
Its activities are many and varied and include the following:
BAFA’s roles:
- Representing the interests of British American Football internationally
- Promoting the development of the game at all levels
- Regulating the game on and off the field of play
- Sanctioning, either directly or indirectly, all matches, leagues and competitions played in Great Britain.
- Overseeing the administration of the domestic disciplinary system
- Co-ordinating the activities of the Great Britain international representative teams
Key facts:
- BAFA are members of the Central Council for Physical Recreation
- BAFA are members of the European Federation of American Football and the International Federation of American Football
- BAFA’s Whole Sport Plan is entitled Get into American Football. This is available as a download from the BAFA website documents library.
Key contact:
Chairman: Gary Marshall
Email: chairman@bafa.org.uk
Website: www.bafa.org.uk
The British American Football League (BAFL) is the National Governing Body recognised association that provides competitions for all age groups and disciplines (contact and non-contact) in Great Britain.
The BAFL regular season runs throughout the summer months culminating with play-offs and national championships – BritBowl – in September.
The recent BritBowl Finals, held at the KeepMoat Stadium in Doncaster saw the Coventry Cassidy Jets emerge as the National Champions in a thrilling encounter with the London Blitz.
In the Youth Final the London Warriors retained their National Title by defeating the Gateshead Senators.
Key contact:
Chairman: Glen Schild
Contact: www.bafl.org.uk/aboutus.asp
The officials for the domestic American Football competitions played in Britain are members of BAFRA, the British American Football Referees’ Association.
BAFRA was founded in 1984 to provide officials for the then fledgling sport. In the early days the majority of its members were US military personnel stationed in the UK but now Americans account for only around 10% of the total membership.
The Association’s aims are five-fold:
- To improve the standard of officiating by training and examination, and by any other means
- To enable all American football games in Britain to have neutral officials
- To promote and uphold the status of officials both collectively and individually
- To co-operate and to cultivate good relations with all bodies concerned with American football, for the betterment of the game
- To take such action or make such representation as an Association, or in conjunction with others as may be considered desirable, in the interests of American football in Britain in general or for the benefit of officials and officiating in particular
BAFRA covers several hundred games at all levels, including senior (over 18), universities’ and youth games. Through the European American Football Officials Association, BAFRA also provides officials for tournaments on the continent.
BAFRA is a member of Sports Officials UK
Key contact:
President: Jim Briggs
Contacts: www.bafra.org/info/emails.htm
BAFRA coverage of BUAFL will be posted here
The British American Football Coaches Association (BAFCA) was formed in 1992 under its original name – The National Football Coaches Association.
The name was changed in 1996 to more clearly define the role of the association to external parties. The objectives of the association are to represent the views of coaches and the playing side of the game to the National Governing Body (BAFA), promote ethical, fair practice by all coaches in the domestic sport and to provide education and development opportunities for coaches - ‘Representation, Regulation and Education.’
In 1993 the Association was recognised as the official coaching body of BAFA and the elected BAFCA President became a member of the BAFA Board of Directors. The BAFCA continue to be a very pro-active part of the development of BAFA and British American football.
Key contact:
President: Jim Messenger
Website: www.bafca.com
Get into American Football is the official British American Football Association campaign to promote the various ways you can get involved on the sport as a player, referee, coach, volunteer and fan in Great Britain.
The name is also the title of the National Governing Body’s inaugural Whole Sport Plan which seeks to maximize the opportunities for the recruitment, retention and development of people in the sport.
Key contacts:
Website: www.getintoamericanfootball.com
