Athletics & Recreation Expert Witnesses in Michigan

Athletics & Recreation, Safety - Parks, Playgrounds, Play Spaces, Events, Supervision, Instruction, Facilities, Ballfields, Outdoor Recreation, Equipment, Emergency Action Planning and Response, Aquatics, Basketball, Softball, Risk Management, Racket Sports, Physical Education, Fields, Spectators, Loss Prevention

I am an expert in sport and recreation safety, and a seasoned litigation expert witness. My opinions as a sport and recreation expert are based on well established risk management and safety practices and models relevant to the field, and drawn from my background, training, experience, and skill-set developed over a distinguished, 28-year career of teaching, research, and practice in sport and recreation safety. In practice, I've conducted facility safety assessments of parks, athletic facilities and play areas, and provided safety advice on issues such as supervision, instruction, equipment, environmental safety, and emergency action planning to well-respected public and private entities responsible for safety and loss prevention among their member schools, municipalities, and private organizations. Additionally, I've assessed the safety of athletic and recreational facilities on matters of litigation at sites across the United States. Further, I have been active in sport th...

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Athletics & Recreation, Risk Management - zip line, zipline accident, zipline braking, zipline brake system, zipline construction, zipline death, zipline safety, residential/backyard zipline, zipline standards, ANSI/ACCT Standards, aerial adventure course, aerial adventure course standards, ropes course, challenge course, climbing, ACCT, ASTM, NAARSO, ASTM F2959, zipline expert

Michael R. Smith is an industry-recognized expert in zip lines, challenge-course, and aerial-adventure-park design, operations, and risk management, with more than three decades of experience in the field. He is regularly retained by plaintiff and defense counsel to provide expert-witness services, accident investigations, and standards-compliance opinions under ASTM F2959, ANSI/ACCT, PRCA. and related industry standards. Mr. Smith is the principal of AdventureSmith, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in risk management, technical inspections, operational audits, staff training, and business development for adventure-tour operators. From 2009 to 2023, he also served as founder and managing partner of an award-winning zip line canopy tour and aerial adventure park operations in Vermont and Tennessee. He holds a B.A. in Wilderness Leadership from Prescott College (1998) and a Master’s in Training and Development from Oakland University (2004). Mr. Smith currently serves on the ...