Derick “Tom” Fraenkel Added to USA Swimming’s Banned List

Derick “Tom” Fraenkel was added to USA Swimming’s banned list as of April 16, 2018. The ban will last for one year, ending on April 16, 2019.

Fraenkel was the coach of the Valley Area Swim Academy (VASA) in Valley, Alabama since 1971.

The team practices at the Point University SportsPlex – the University itself is located in West Point, Georgia, while the sporting complexes (including the pool) are in Valley, Alabama. The two cities are roughly six miles apart, across the Alabama/Georgia border.

While located in eastern Alabama, the team competes in Georgia for their Championships, and is officially a member of the Georgia Swimming LSC. This is why Fraenkel’s ban is classified in Georgia.

Fraenkel has been banned for violating two sections of USA Swimming’s Code of Conduct, intended to protect the athletes:

304.3.4: Violation of any of the Sexual Misconduct Reporting Requirements set forth in Article 306 or the Prohibitions against Retaliation for Good Faith Reporting of Abuse set forth in Article 307.

305.1: Inappropriate touching between an athlete and an adult non‐athlete member or Participating Non‐Member (as defined in 401.1) is prohibited, including, but not limited to, excessive touching, hugging, kissing, and having an athlete sit on a non‐family member adult’s lap.

On March 10, 2018, “Tom Fraenkel” commented on Swimming World‘s coverage of USA Swimming athlete members speaking out on the organization’s mishandling of claims of sexual misconduct.

The e-mail provided for the commenter matches that listed on the VASA website. The comment, copied from the article originally posted on February 26, 2018, is below:

Tom Fraenkel

March 10, 2018

What about coaches who have been banned for life for simply hugging their swimmers in front of their parents??
I am one of those coaches, who for 48 years has been a warm, caring and humanistic coach, and a cold young female coach from a University who shared my pool, did not like the warmth she saw emanating from my team.
I am an ASCA Level 4 International rated coach and this young coach felt totally inadequate in my presence. She then twisted this warmth that she observed in my small team where parents sit behind me when I coach, to serve the vendetta she had against me, and Susan Woessner gleefully accepted her twisted complaint with sexual connotations, ………….and I was banned for life!
It seems that USA Swimming Safe Sport accept totally a complainant as credible,…….. and zero background checks are done on these self fulfilling people lodging complaints.
My life is destroyed by a vendetta to get me out of this facility based upon lies and twisted allegations.
USA Swimming let down a coach in his 48th year with an impeccable record, in the final chapter of his life.
I WILL prove my innocence.

To the knowledge of Swimming World, Fraenkel has not been charged criminally as of April, 23, 2018.

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Corneil En Wouter

6 years ago

What absolute bullshit!!!!!!!

Corneil En Wouter

6 years ago

To the person that was responsible for taking the food off somebody’s table at this age, take a good look in the mirror, KARMA is right behind you …. don’t worry Tom Fraenkel, God is in control and He knows the truth

Ron Goehring

6 years ago

Tom, this is Ron Goehring. I knew you when you coached in Kingsport. How sad and unfair this all is. I think back on my coaching years and all the hugs I have given. I hope all works out and justice is served.