Camp Woodward to pay $8M to settle lawsuit brought by gymnast indecently assaulted by coach

An elite sports camp in Penns Valley agreed to pay $8 million to settle a lawsuit brought by a gymnast who was inappropriately touched by a coach who her attorneys said was rehired despite previous allegations of misconduct.

Attorneys David Inscho and Lorraine Donnelly said in a statement released Monday that the settlement holds Camp Woodward responsible for “failing to protect the children under its care.”

“It is unacceptable that Camp Woodward repeatedly rehired a predator as a coach at its camp and then attempted to silence a child when she tried to speak up about what he did to her,” they said. “It is unconscionable that this occurred in the sport of gymnastics where so many victims of child sexual abuse have been ignored.”

A spokesperson for the camp said in a statement that both parties worked toward a resolution that is “in the best interests of all involved.” The agreement resolved all outstanding issues and did not require an admission of liability.

“Woodward is committed to providing a safe and positive environment for all our participants and staff and employs several policies and procedures designed to promote an atmosphere of safety and support,” Woodward said through a spokesperson. “This settlement reflects our dedication to upholding these values and our ongoing commitment to excellence.”

The lawsuit accused one of the top training grounds in the country of improperly responding to allegations that former coach Nathaniel Singer groped and digitally penetrated the teenage gymnast in the summers of 2018 and 2019.

Her attorneys also alleged that former camp administrator Brittany Shulman was warned by another coach a week before the assault that Singer was a “child predator.”

During a summer camp in 2017, the heads of the gymnastics program were told Singer sneaked a female camper out of her bunk and engaged in sexual contact with her. Singer, according to the lawsuit, admitted to the sexual contact.

He was rehired in 2018 and a worker suggested to Shulman that Singer’s contact with children be limited, but the lawsuit said she refused. A year later, the teenage gymnast came forward with allegations that Singer touched her inappropriately during a drill.

During a meeting in a conference room to discuss the allegations, the gymnast said Shulman and another staff member interrogated her, challenged her credibility and made veiled threats about her future in gymnastics.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport, which opened in 2017 to manage sex-abuse cases in Olympic sports, permanently banned Singer in 2020 from USA Gymnastics.

“This significant settlement shows that the civil justice system is necessary and effective at holding institutions accountable that fail to protect the children under their care,” Inscho and Donnelly said.

Singer, 28, of Massachusetts, was convicted in January 2023 of groping the gymnast. He was found guilty by a Centre County jury of two felony counts of aggravated indecent assault and two misdemeanor counts of indecent assault after a two-day trial.

The jury of seven women and five men deliberated for about seven hours. When the verdict was read, the gymnast from a suburb of Chicago cried briefly and hugged her mother. Singer had no visible reaction.

The teen’s mother testified during trial that her daughter seemed “broken,” while one of her close friend’s testified she seemed “rattled.” She said she gave up gymnastics, which was once “all I wanted to do.”

Inscho wrote in an email to the Centre Daily Times that the gymnast’s family is grateful that Woodward was held accountable for “failing to protect its campers and ignoring a gymnast when she tried to come to forward for help.”

Even after Singer’s conviction, Inscho said the camp failed to acknowledge what Singer “had done to the victim.”

“Our client is a brave survivor who showed remarkable resilience in pursuing justice over the last four years. She withstood repeated attempts to attack her credibility through questioning at the criminal trial and seven hours of cross examination by the attorneys in the civil action,” Inscho wrote. “Through this pursuit she had continued to be able to work on healing from the assaults and Woodward’s subsequent attempts to silence and dismiss her.

“She hopes that holding Woodward accountable will compel other camps and institutions in the gymnastics community to be vigilant about protecting athletes and listening to children when they try to reach out about abuse.”

Singer has maintained his innocence, testifying in front of jurors that he “never” touched her inappropriately. His lawyer also argued during trial that the lawsuit gave the teen and her family a motive.

He was sentenced in May 2023 by Centre County Judge Brian Marshall to 2 1/2 to five years in state prison. After telling Marshall he was “putting an innocent man in jail today,” he was also sentenced to three years of probation and must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Singer is incarcerated at Rockview state prison. His appeal of his conviction is pending before the state Superior Court. He was not represented by an attorney during the lawsuit.

“We appreciate the support of the community during this time and are grateful to have this matter resolved,” the Woodward spokesperson said. “Moving forward, Woodward will continue to focus on providing exceptional experiences and opportunities for growth and development in sports.”

The settlement resolved one lawsuit against Woodward, Shulman and Singer, but another is pending. Another female gymnast alleged Singer forced her into inappropriate sexual contact during a camp in summer 2016.

Trial is not expected until at least 2025.