LOWELL — A former athletic coach at Lowell High School is accused of inappropriately touching two 14-year-old scholar athletes who went to him for remedy of their accidents, in keeping with authorities.
Damon Amato, 42, of Northboro, who labored on the college from 2004 to 2022 and at the moment operates Bay State Athletic Training Services, is charged with three counts of indecent assault and battery on an individual aged 14 or older.
During his arraignment in Middlesex Superior Court on Monday, Amato entered pleas of not responsible to all three fees, in keeping with courtroom paperwork. He was launched on his personal recognizance following his arraignment.
An announcement of the case submitted in courtroom by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office in August says the alleged victims got here in touch with Amato after struggling accidents whereas members of Lowell High’s winter observe workforce.
The DA’s workplace states the primary 14-year-old lady was allegedly victimized through the 2017-18 educational 12 months after sustaining a proper quad damage throughout observe.
At the route of her coach, the teenager started to see Amato for remedy for roughly three to 4 weeks. During that point, Amato is alleged to have carried out massages on the teenager two or thrice per week. On the opposite days the alleged sufferer carried out stretching workout routines with Amato separate from the observe workforce.
According to the DA’s workplace, Amato requested the alleged sufferer put on spandex shorts for the massages, “claiming that it would assist in accessing the injured area.”
The DA’s workplace states Amato would “straddle the victim” whereas massaging the teenager’s thighs and buttocks whereas she laid on a therapeutic massage desk situated contained in the observe constructing, subsequent to the observe. According to the assertion of case, throughout one of many early encounters between the pair, Amato allegedly “made a statement about the victim’s backside while performing the massage.”
The DA’s workplace mentioned the sufferer “felt extremely uncomfortable” with the contact and “while other treatments and exercises were directed towards the quad muscle itself, the gentle buttocks massages and rubbing were separate and upsetting to her.”
After 4 weeks, the alleged sufferer’s damage shortly returned when she tried to run once more. According to the DA’s workplace, the teenager went again to Amato, who’s alleged to have modified his remedy plan to incorporate energy workout routines with the teenager alone within the weight room for 3 to 4 weeks.
On a number of events throughout this time, the DA’s workplace states Amato “would hold the victim’s buttocks” whereas recognizing her as she carried out deadlift workout routines.
At one level the DA’s workplace states the alleged sufferer requested Amato about seeing a medical skilled for her damage, to which he mentioned “not to waste her family’s money and assured her that they would make progress together.”
The DA’s workplace states the second 14-year-old lady was victimized by Amato through the 2020-2021 educational 12 months after struggling a decrease left quad damage in January 2021.
According to the DA’s workplace, the alleged sufferer reported the primary session with Amato was “normal.” Normalcy allegedly ceased throughout a second encounter between the pair a couple of days later.
During that go to, Amato allegedly had the teenager lay face down on a coach’s desk so he may therapeutic massage the again of her thighs and buttocks. During the therapeutic massage, the DA’s workplace states Amato allegedly got here near touching the teenager’s genital space a number of instances. The teen additionally claimed, in keeping with the assertion of case, that Amato pulled the highest of her shorts down, exposing her buttocks.
“The victim reported feeling paralyzed with fear and humiliation,” the DA’s workplace states.
Amato’s legal professional, Claudia Lagos, described her shopper as “completely innocent” on Thursday, including “the government has no case.”
Lagos mentioned Amato is a “highly respected and highly qualified athletic trainer,” who has been an athletic coach for 18 years. During that point, Lagos mentioned Amato has educated greater than 25,000 athletes and has by no means confronted accusations of misconduct.
“The allegations he now faces are false, through and through,” Lagos mentioned. “Mr. Amato’s family, community, former athletes, and colleagues stand by him as he fights this case. At trial, it will be clear that the government has no case and he will be acquitted.”
Lowell School Superintendent of Schools Joel Boyd and Lowell High Head of School Michael Fiato issued a letter to Lowell High households on Tuesday, to tell them of “a serious matter related to past athletic training services provided to student athletes.”
Boyd and Fiato didn’t establish immediately Amato within the letter, however did reveal “the manager of the training services corporation, who is also a past employee of Lowell Public Schools,” had been arraigned on “a charge of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14 years of age.”
“We have formally notified Bay State Athletic Training Services, LLC that we will be terminating our contract with them,” the letter states.
According to the letter, after the varsity discovered concerning the allegations, the person “was ordered to remain off school grounds entirely and directed to have no contact with students whatsoever while the police conducted their investigation. The trainers who are currently working with our student athletes are not suspected of any wrongdoing and are not implicated in the above referenced allegations to our knowledge in any way.”
“We will work to minimize any disruption this transition in athletic training services may cause for our student athletes,” the letter continues. “We also understand how receiving this type of message can be unsettling for families.”
The letter concludes by encouraging anybody with questions or issues concerning the transition of athletic coaching companies or the influence of the claims to contact Lowell High at 978-937-8900.
Lagos mentioned Amato began at Lowell High on Aug. 1, 2004 and was advised to depart the varsity on Oct. 5, 2022.
According to the state’s company database, Amato based Bay State Athletic Training Services LLC in 2020. His newest submitting on report from 2021 reveals Amato because the resident agent of the enterprise, with the principal workplace in Northboro.
Amato’s LinkedIn web page lists him as head athletic coach at Lowell High School since 2004, and an adjunct professor at Lasell University since 2014, within the Athletic Training and Exercise Science Department.
Ian Meropol, a spokesperson for Lasell University, mentioned in an electronic mail to The Sun on Thursday that Amato has not been employed on the college since 2016.
According to courtroom paperwork, Assistant Clerk Magistrate Daniel Flaherty launched Amato on his personal recognizance following his arraignment in courtroom on Monday with the situations he keep away from and don’t have any contact with the victims or witnesses.
Amato was additionally ordered by Flaherty to keep away from Lowell High School, to not take part in athletic coaching at any of the Lowell Public Schools, and to don’t have any unsupervised athletic coaching with adults.
Amato was moreover ordered to not depart Massachusetts with out the courtroom’s permission, apart from a visit to Lake Tahoe, from Sunday till Feb. 2, and Saint Martin, from Feb. 18-26.
Amato is scheduled to return to courtroom on Feb. 17.
Reporter Melanie Gilbert contributed to this report.
Follow Aaron Curtis on Twitter @aselahcurtis
Source: www.bostonherald.com”