A decorated gymnast recounted the "eerie" environment at the Karolyi Ranch during the sentencing for former USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.

The Karolyi complex - in the Sam Houston National Forest midway between New Waverly and Huntsville - has been used for many years as a training site for U.S. Olympic gymnasts, and has been mentioned by several gymnasts during Nassar's sentencing as a location where they were assaulted.

Last week, USA Gymnastics announced the camp would no longer serve as the National Training Center.

Mattie Larson, 25, was a member of the U.S. National Team from ages 14 to 19. She detailed isolated conditions, diet restrictions and painful injuries sustained at the camp during her victim impact statement Tuesday,

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"There's an eerie feeling as soon as you step foot on the Karolyi Ranch," she said.

Larson said she was terrified of visiting the Karolyi Ranch, where she says Nassar sexually abused her. She remembered once trying to fake a concussion - banging her head into the back of the bathtub at her family's house to create a bump - in order to avoid going to a camp there.

Larson said the camp's location in an isolated area was an environment where abusers and molesters like Nassar could thrive. She said her time there, the pressures of competition and her abuse by Nassar led to depression and suicidal thoughts.

"From that first camp at 10 years old, I dreaded going back every single time for the next nine years," Larson said.

Larson said the first time she remembers getting treated by Nassar was at age 14 for a hip injury at the U.S. National Championships in Minnesota. She continued to receive treatment from him until she was 19.

She said Nassar was a renowned doctor, charismatic, and "one of the only nice adults I had in my life at the time." Larson said Nassar would bring her treats and junk food when she'd been placed on a restrictive diet by coaches.

"I just couldn't comprehend that someone like him could do something so awful," she said. "On top of that, who was I going to tell? Certainly not my coaches, who I was afraid of."

Several other gymnasts have referenced Nassar's efforts to bring them food when coaches wouldn't allow it, a technique many believe was Nassar's way of grooming the young gymnasts.

Larson told the Lansing State Journal that Nassar's favors eased the "prison-like mentality" of Karolyi Ranch.

"I absolutely would lose weight every single time and when I got back to my home gym my coaches would be so happy." Larson said during a break in the hearing.

Larson said she was "ecstatic" upon hearing of the separation between USA Gymnastics and the Karolyi Ranch.

"It's not only the culture there that's scary," Larson said. "It's literally the location."

Larson has advocated for legislation that would make it a federal crime for Olympic national governing bodies to fail to promptly report child sexual abuse allegations to authorities. She met with Sen. Dianne Feinsten, D-California, in an effort to advance the cause.

"All I wanted to do as a kid was go to the Olympics," Larson said Tuesday. "I was at the height of my career at 19 and the Olympics were just one year away and I just couldn't take any more abuse.

"I was broken. Larry, my coaches and USAG turned the sport I loved as a kid into my own personal hell."