A woman who says she was a victim of sexual assault at the hands of a coach at a Centre County gymnastics camp has settled a federal lawsuit.
Her attorneys say the settlement with Camp Woodward was $8 million.
The victim in this case says she was a junior camp counselor and gymnast at Camp Woodward, in 2016, when she was 17 years old.
She says the camp’s former gymnastics coach, Nathaniel Singer, made unwanted sexual contact with her.
He was later sentenced, last year, to two-and-a-half to 5 years in state prison.
The civil lawsuit that named the camp and administrators at the time was filed in 2022.
It claimed the camp was aware of complaints about Singer but didn’t address them.
Her attorney believes that the settlement is a warning to others.
“I’m happy, my client is happy that Woodward is being held accountable for failing to protect campers. It sends a message to others in the camp community and the gymnastics community,”
Camp Woodward has issued the following statement:
“We can confirm that a settlement has been reached in the legal case against Woodward at the PA location regarding its past gymnastics camp. Both parties worked collaboratively towards a resolution that, we believe, is in the best interests of all involved. 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. This settlement reflects our dedication to upholding these values and our ongoing commitment to excellence. We can confirm that the agreement resolves all outstanding issues without admission of liability. We appreciate the support of the community during this time and are grateful to have this matter resolved. Moving forward,
Woodward will continue to focus on providing exceptional experiences and opportunities for growth and development in sports.”
It should be noted that a short time after Singer’s arrest, the camp announced it was no longer offering gymnastics and cheerleading programs.
