A former student at Summit Academy claims in a lawsuit that he was sexually abused by one of his football coaches there about 15 years ago.

Windel Holmes, 28, who is incarcerated in State Correctional Institution Houtzdale, alleges the abuse took place after he was committed to the academy in 2011 when he was 13 years old, according to the lawsuit filed last week.

Between September 2011 and August 2012, the lawsuit alleges that one of Holmes’ coaches would force him to remove his towel during shower periods after practices, touch him inappropriately and force Holmes to touch him inappropriately. The lawsuit alleges the incidents happened in the coach’s office. The coach also repeatedly sexually abused Holmes in other ways, according to the suit.

The suit alleges assault and battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress against the coach; and negligent hiring, retention, supervision and monitoring, and negligent failure to protect against the academy.

Holmes is seeking unspecified compensatory damages for physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, psychological injury, humiliation, loss of dignity and mental anguish through a jury trial. Holmes filed the suit himself without an attorney.

Summit Academy declined to comment through a spokesman.

Holmes was committed to the academy on Sept. 29, 2011, after being arrested following an incident involving another youth. He was charged as a juvenile with simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct in Montgomery County, according to the suit.

On Aug. 30, 2012, he was released from the academy into the custody of the Montgomery County Youth Center, the suit said.

In the suit, Holmes claims he was not originally a football player, but was encouraged or required to try out for the team.

The suit claims the coach instructed him not to tell anyone about the abuse and told him if he did, he would not be allowed to go home and no one would believe him.

According to the suit, Holmes cried during and after the abuse and was frightened, embarrassed and confused by the conduct.

The lawsuit includes the coach’s name, but the Butler Eagle has excluded it from this report because the lawsuit says Holmes “does not presently know” the coach’s legal first name.