BAFA is responsible for all regulatory, competition, performance and development aspects of the game.
The responsibilities and activities of BAFA include the following:
- The organisation and promotion of all amateur domestic national competitions across both contact and non-contact versions of the game.
- The organisation and promotion of the national teams in international competition.
- The promotion of the game to people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities and the provision of opportunities for their engagement and development.
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The regulation of the game on and off the field of play through oversight of its rules.
- The representation of the British game to national and international partners, be they sporting organisations, federations, or commercial interests.
BAFA is a member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF).
BAFA is a company limited by guarantee.
Management and Operations:
The British American Football Association has a Board of Directors and a staffing structure comprised of Managers and Officers who support the delivery of the sport across a series of directorates.
The current BAFA Directors are:
Chad Ehlertsen
Chief Executive Officer
Chad brings over a decade of experience in sports governance to the role of BAFA CEO, with a proven track record of driving transformational change in pivotal roles at The Football Association. His leadership experience, particularly in driving growth and fostering change within sports organisations, positions him to support BAFA’s continued success and long-term growth. His expertise spans strategic planning, digital strategy, stakeholder engagement, finance, and commercial management.
As CEO of Birmingham County Football Association, Chad led initiatives to enhance participation and strengthen organisational sustainability. He has also played key roles in strategy development, stakeholder engagement, and business transformation through directorships at England Handball and Swim England.
David Goodridge
Chair
Chair of the Board
David has over three decades of executive leadership in financial services with multiple touchpoints to elite sport throughout his career. From project managing the sponsorship launch of the Nationwide Football League and delivering Visa's vision of London 2012 being the first cashless Olympic games to transforming sports venues across Europe into contactless stadiums while at Mastercard.
With significant experience in Sports Governance, he is also Non-Executive Director Finance & Governance and Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee for the British Bobsleigh & Skeleton Association and Governance Review Steering Group Member at Swim England supporting the delivery of the One Swim England strategy. Elected as an Affiliated Member of The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland, he is also a Member of the Sports Governance Academy and Non-Executive Directors Association and a lifelong fan of American Football.
Richard Watson
Non-Executive Director
Chair of the Safeguarding & Welfare Committee
Richard is currently Safeguarding Development Manager at England & Wales Cricket Board, responsible for leading, creating and managing the ECB’s safeguarding development plan to incorporate safeguards across business planning. Richard has extensive best practice knowledge from working in a national governing body of sport bringing a wealth of specialist knowledge in safeguarding, discipline and supporting a volunteer workforce. He is also a level three Football Association referee and a big fan of American football. Richard is Chair of the Safeguarding and Welfare Committee
Colin Allen
Non-Executive Director
Chair of the Sports Science & Medicine Committee
Colin has worked within the field of elite national athlete programme development for over 14 years. He started his career as an Athlete Investment Officer at UK Sport in 2006, before originally joining the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) in July 2010 as a Project Manager. He moved across to Northumbria University in June 2014, to work as part of their performance sport programme as a Talent Identification and Pathway Manger, before re-joining TASS in October 2015. Colin is currently the National Lead for Operations and is responsible for overseeing both the strategic and day-to-day planning and coordination for the scheme. Another aspect of his role involves leading on programme and
project work to support the development of National Governing Bodies’ England Talent Pathways and growing revenue streams by identifying and taking advantage of new opportunities.
Molly Fluet
Non-Executive Director
Molly Fluet is a senior leader on the business side of YouGov’s Politics and Public team, where she helps drive the growth and strategic direction of one of the company’s most high-profile divisions. Her career spans politics, policy, communications, and business development, with a strong track record of leading commercial teams and building strategic partnerships.
Before joining YouGov, Molly led POLITICO’s European Advertising team and served as the UK General Manager, overseeing commercial operations and expanding the organization’s presence in the region. Molly brings this unique blend of public affairs insight and commercial leadership to her role on the BAFA board. Outside of work, she is an avid swimmer who especially loves a good outdoor swim—whether in lakes, rivers, or the open sea.
Geoff Maltby
Non-Executive Director
Chair of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee
Geoff has a dedicated career history of over 20 years, with significant leadership experience in community sport development. He has worked in a multitude of roles throughout his career, from coaching and delivery, through to co-ordination and management positions, and he has been in a Senior Leadership role for Active Together (the Active Partnership covering Leicestershire, Leicester City & Rutland) for the last 15 years, with lead responsibility around children and young people and Sport England Place Investment. He has extensive experience working with national stakeholders in the sport industry and he sits on the National Active Partnership Children & Young People Forum as the Midlands Chair. He has a particular passion in tackling inequalities in sport and ensuring access for all. Geoff is a keen sportsman and a long-standing LSU Tigers and New Orleans Saints fan, deep rooted from family ties in Baton Rouge.
Bruce Leatherman
Non-Executive Director
Member of the Audit Committee
With over 12 years of experience as a technically focused manager, Bruce has delivered multiple enterprise level software projects within the national government and financial sectors. He currently works as part of the senior leadership team for a global IT company, managing an engineering team based across the UK, Ireland and the Nordics. He has extensive experience of data security principles and will apply this knowledge to BAFA's business and data processes. A qualified American football coach and official, he has been involved in the British game for over 28 years.