Many support accused coach

Frederick Rames, charged with sex assault, will appear in court Wednesday

Some Wahiawa residents do not believe the charges that were filed against a well-known coach for allegedly sexually assaulting two boys.

"I really feel like he's being made a scapegoat," said Renee Rivera, who has known Frederick Rames for the past 11 years.

"I don't think this has happened or that he caused it," Rivera added.

Rames, 65, was charged Saturday on six counts of third-degree sexual assault involving two boys. One boy was reported to have contracted a venereal disease.

Rames was released later that day after he posted $150,000 bail. He is scheduled to make an initial appearance at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at District Court, according to attorney Bill Harrison, who is representing him.

According to Harrison, one of the boys, 7, plays soccer in the league. The other, age 12 or 13, is described as one of Rames' five foster children.

"He's totally innocent of these charges. It's a total misunderstanding," said Harrison, noting that there is a language barrier involving the children, who are Micronesian.

Police took blood samples from Rames on Saturday. Based on his medical records, Harrison said Rames does not have a disease.

At his Wahiawa home yesterday, Rames declined to comment but said he has received "tremendous support" from fellow coaches and neighbors.

"We'll see what happens," Rames said.

For the past 21 years, Rames has served as president of the Wahiawa Soccer Association for Youth League and oversees about 20 coaches and more than 100 soccer players.

Rames held a coach meeting at Wahiawa Elementary School yesterday. He said he will not be coaching while the case is pending, but will continue as league president. A fellow coach will help him run the league, said Rivera, who has served as a coach and has a 9-year-old son in the league.

Some children sitting at Alahua Square Park, located across from Rames' home, said they do not believe he sexually assaulted the two boys.

"He's really nice. How do they know if he really did it?" a 12-year-old asked.

According to Rivera, Rames is divorced and has two adult children and grandchildren. His five foster children are described as orphans originally from the Marshall Islands.

"Those kids are not abused," she said, adding, "The community is shocked and feel terrible of what he's going through right now."

Like Rivera, soccer league coach Dina Cornwall does not believe the charges.

"I still stand by him," said Cornwall, who has known Rames for more than five years and has two young sons who play in the league.