Gym.Net - The Gymnastics Professional's Safety, Risk Management & Education Network

Michael Taylor has gymnastics experience since 1968 as a competitor, coach, judge, club owner, director, recreational athlete and administrator. I am currently a Senior Recreation Supervisor for the Community Services Department of the City of Menlo Park in Menlo Park, CA. My immediate duties include supervising the 1700 student Gymnastics program. I have been a National Safety Instructor for USA Gymnastics (USAG), the official Olympic and National governing body for the sport of Gymnastics, since 1992. I also serve USAG as a member of the National Safety / Risk Management Review Board and the National PreSchool Advisory Committee. I am a Professional Development Certification Programs Instructor, a Kinder Accreditation Teacher and Movement Education Development Course Instructor. I have presented seminars at the USAG National Congress on topics that included “Safety in the Gym for Class Instructors,” “Setting up your PreSchool Gym Safely,” and “Partner Parents” among others. I am an active member of the United States Elite Coaches Association (USECA) and publish featured monthly articles in the USECA Newsletter. I am a regular clinician / presenter at the USAG Region 1 Congress and have presented workshops and seminars at the California Parks and Recreation Society Bay Area Institute. I have published articles in USAG Technique Magazine and in USA Gymnast Magazine on “The Benefits of Gymnastics,” “The Code of Points for Marketing,” and “Positive Coaching” among others. I am a featured columnist on the USA Gymnastics Online website (www.usa-gymnastics.org). I am CPR / First Aid / Sport Safety Certifier for the American Red Cross, a National Association for Sport & Physical Education member and an American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, and Dance member. I have been a Coaching Principles Course Instructor for the American Sport Education Program since 1981 and am an Instructor for the Stanford University based Positive Coaching Alliance. I am a nationally certified Youth Sports Administrator for the National Alliance of Youth Sports. I am a Certified Pool Operator and a licensed National Playground Safety Inspector.

Fees and Rates

Solution analysis projects (business evaluation) and risk management projects (Safety and Risk Management Audits) are bid and billed based on the project’s scope. Prices range typically between $600 and $8,000 depending upon the project.

Gym.Net charges $150 per hour for all research, report or deposition reading and travel time.

Gym.Net charges $175 per hour for deposition or expert witness report writing and trial testimony.

Gym.Net can be retained at a daily rate. This rate is $800 per day for non-profit organizations and $1,000 for all other clients (excluding trial work or depositions) plus expenses. If an executive report takes longer than the eight (8) hour day to complete, each additional hour will be billed at $75.00 per hour.

Clients wishing to retain Gym.Net on a full-time basis can purchase a one-year plan. For a yearly fee of $2,000 a client receives 20 hours a year of potential service for research, surveying, writing, or investigation. Any hours over 20 hours are billed at $125 per hour (excluding trial work or depositions). Any unused hours are extinguished at the end of the 12 month period from the contract execution date if not utilized. However, if a client renews their one year contract the hours are carried over to the next year.

The following represent a brief sampling of the types of services Gym.Net has provided over the years.

o Assisted a national youth sport association in developing a comprehensive nationwide coach’s education program.

o Provided expert testimony in a number of Gymnastics injury lawsuits – some on behalf of the plaintiff and others representing the defense.

o Assisted a national youth sport association in conducting a comprehensive nationwide sport parent education program.

o Completed a comprehensive playground inspection audit for a major University child care operation, which determined that their existing playground presented a significant liability risk.

o Assisted several youth sport organizations in developing appropriate responses to deal with ADA concerns, employee misconduct, and coaching education.

o Conducted a large scale analysis on the entire Gymnastics operation for a major California city that resulted in that City re-emphasizing their recreational Gymnastics program and increasing enrollment substantially.

o Developed comprehensive employee manuals, incident investigation and reporting procedures, and risk management guidelines for several major park and recreation departments.

o Undertaken comprehensive school audits examining general safety, fire code, and risk management concerns.

A nationally recognized expert in the Gymnastics industry, Michael Taylor is available to provide expert opinion on employment issues, athlete development, program organization, injury litigation and other legal cases. Professional reports prepared and submitted in a timely manner.

References available upon request.