Research Keywords

• Youth Sport
• Youth Development
• Physical Activity
• Outdoor Environments
• Intentional Programming

Presentations

• Legg, E., Wells, M.S., & Newland, A. (2016). Sense of community and social capital: Examining the moderating effects of social identity, psychological involvement, and behavioral involvement in adult recreational league tennis. Paper presented at the 2016 North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) Conference, Orlando FL. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 06/2016.
• Arthur-Banning, S. G., & Wells, M. S. (2015). The spaces of youth sports: The environments they are in and the environments they create. Paper presented at the Sport IV: Probing the Boundaries Conference, Oxford, United Kingdom. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 09/2015.
• Piatt, J. A., Wells, M. S., Shinichi, N., Kang, S., Li, J., & Gambrall, M. (2015). “Spirit in Motion”: Understanding the outcomes of adapted sport participation. Paper to be presented at the Symposium on Sports and Leisure Industry, Pan-Hellenic Association of Sports Economists and Managers, Athens, Greece. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 09/2015.
• Arthur-Banning, S. G., & Wells, M. S. (2014). Sport’s recent representation in the leisure environment. Paper presented at the Sport III: Probing the Boundaries Conference, Oxford, England. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 06/2014.
• Legg, E., Rose, J., & Wells, M. S. (2014). Exploring sense of community in a relocated sport fan group. Paper to be presented at the North American Society for Sport Management Conference, Pittsburgh, PA. Conference Paper, Accepted, 01/2014.
• Wells, M. S., & Arthur-Banning, S. G. (2013). Sport is good? Looking at sport involvement through the lens of positive psychology. Paper to be presented at the Sport II: Probing the Boundaries Conference, Athens, Greece. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 11/2013.
• Tanner, P., & Wells, M. S. (2013). Incidents and Actions Associated with Coed Indoor Soccer (Dis)satisfaction. Paper to be presented at the Sport Marketing Association Conference, Albuquerque, NM. Conference Paper, Presented, 10/2013.
• Legg, W. E., Barile, J., & Wells, M. S. (2013). Factors affecting a sense of community in youth sport parents. Paper presented at the 2013 Leisure Research Symposium, Houston, TX. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 10/2013.
• Piatt, J. A., & Wells, M. S. (2013). Youth Sport and Disability: Applying Theory to Programming Outcomes. Paper presented at the Paralympic Leadership Conference, Colorado Springs, CO. Conference Paper, Presented, 04/2013.
• Wells, M. S., & Arthur-Banning, S. G. (2012). The value and importance of sport for young participants. Paper to be presented at the Sport: Probing the Boundaries Conference, Salzburg, Austria. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 11/2012.
• Wells, M. S., & Arthur-Banning, S. G. (2011). Coach and parental involvement in minimizing professionalism in youth sports. Glenview Parks and Recreation District. Glenview, IL. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 10/2012.
• Arthur-Banning, S. G., & Wells, M. S. (2011). Minimizing the professionalization of youth sports: A workshop for youth sport administrators. Workshop for Illinois Parks and Recreation Association. Glenview, IL. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 10/2012.
• Arthur-Banning, S. G., & Wells, M. S. (2012). Youth Sports: Animating Programs to Encourage Participation, Fun, and Sportsmanship. Paper to be presented at National Recreation and Park Association annual congress, Anaheim, CA. Presentation, Presented, 10/2012.
• Piatt, J. A., & Wells, M. S. (2012). Beyond the Event: Developing a Sport Identity. Paper presented at the Paralympic Leadership Conference, Colorado Springs, CO. Presentation, Presented, 04/2012.
• Wells, M. W., & Arthur-Banning, S. G. (2011). Focusing Youth Sport Programs on What’s Best for Young Athletes. Paper to be presented at National Recreation and Park Association annual congress, Atlanta, GA. Presentation, Presented, 11/2011.
• Wells, M. S., & Arthur-Banning, S. G. (2011). Developing youth sport opportunities. Invited presentation at the University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 05/2011.
• Arthur-Banning, S. G., & Wells, M. S. (2011). The status and structure of current sport management at all levels in the United States. Invited presentation at the University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 05/2011.

Languages

• English, fluent.

Publications

• Piatt, J. A., Kang, S., Wells, M. S., Nagata, S. & Hoffman, J. (2019). Changing identity through sport: The Paralympic sport club experience among adolescents with mobility impairments. Disability and Health Journal. Accepted, 01/2019.
• Tapps, T. & Wells, M. S. (2019). Introduction to recreation and leisure. Human Kinetics. Published, 01/2019.
• Markham-Starr, S. & Wells, M. S. (2019). Public parks and recreation in the United State and Canada. (pp. 136-154). Human Kinetics. Published, 01/2019.
• Wells, M. S. (2018). Coping with failure.. (pp. 123-128). ABC-CLIO. Published, 06/2018.
• Wells, M. S. (2018). Development of youth in mind and body. (pp. 129-135). ABC-CLIO. Published, 06/2018.
• Arthur-Banning, S. G., Greenwood, P. B. & Wells, M. S. (2018). Youth sports in America: The most important issues in youth sports today. ABC-CLIO. Published, 06/2018.
• Legg, E., Wells, M. S., Newland, A. & Tanner, P. J. (2017). Exploring sense of community in adult recreational tennis. World Leisure Journal. Published, 06/2017.
• Piatt, J. A., Van Puymbroeck, M., Zahl, M., Rosenbluth, J. P. & Wells, M. S. (2016). Examining how the perception of health can impact participation and autonomy among adults with spinal cord injury. Topics in Spinal Cord Injury and Rehabilitation. Vol. 3, 165-172. Published, 09/2016.
• Bennett, J. R. & Wells, M. S. (2016). Addressing well-being in early and middle childhood: Recreation therapy interventions aimed to develop skills that create a healthy life. Therapeutic Recreation Journal. Vol. 1. Published, 01/2016.
• Bennett, J. R. , Wells, M. S., Negley, S. N. & Connoly, P. (2016). Addressing well-being in early and middle childhood: Recreation therapy interventions aimed to develop skills that create a healthy life. Therapeutic Recreation Journal. Vol. 1, 21-32. Published, 01/2016.
• Barcelona, B., Wells, M. S., & Arthur-Banning, S. G. (2015). Recreational sport: Design and delivery. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Published, 11/2015.
• Legg, E., , Wells, M. S., & Barile, J. P. (2015). Factors related to sense of community in youth sport parents. Journal of Parks and Recreation Administration. Vol. 33, 73-86. Published, 09/2015.
• Arthur-Banning, S. G., & Wells, M. S. (2015). The spaces of youth sports: The environments they are in and the environments they create. Paper to be presented at the Sport IV: Probing the Boundaries Conference, Oxford, United Kingdom. Published, 09/2015.
• Legg, W. E., Wells, M. S., Newland, A., Tanner, P. J., & Wilson, C. (2015). Exploring sense of community in an adult recreational tennis league. Paper to be presented at the 2015 Leisure Research Symposium, Las Vegas, NV. Published, 09/2015.
• Bennett, J. R., Wells, M. S., Negley, S. N., & Connolly, P. (In Press). Addressing well-being in early and middle childhood: Recreation therapy interventions aimed to develop skills that create a healthy life. Therapeutic Recreation Journal.. Accepted, 08/2015.
• Piatt, J. A., Wells, M. S., Shinichi, N., Kang, S., Li, J., & Gambrall, M. (2015). “Spirit in Motion”: Understanding the outcomes of adapted sport participation. Paper to be presented at the Symposium on Sports and Leisure Industry, Pan-Hellenic Association of Sports Economists and Managers, Athens, Greece. Published, 06/2015.
• Legg, E., Wells, M. S., & Barile, J. P. (2015). Factors related to sense of community in youth sport parents. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 33(2), 73-86. Published, 06/2015.
• Legg, W. E., Wells, M. S., & Barile, J. P. (2014). The relation of motivational orientation to social impact in sport. Paper presented at the 2014 Leisure Research Symposium, Charlotte, NC. Published, 10/2014.
• Arthur-Banning, S. G., & Wells, M. S. (2014). Sport’s recent representation in the leisure environment. Paper presented at the Sport III: Probing the Boundaries Conference, Oxford, England. Published, 09/2014.
• Piatt, J. A., Wells, M. S., Van Puymbroeck, M., Zahl, M., & Rosenbluth, J. (2014). The impact of perceived health on autonomy and participation among a SCI population. Paper presented at The International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Cancun, Mexico. Published, 06/2014.
• Roark, M. F., Gillard, A., Wells, M. S., Evans, F., & Blauer, M. M. (2014). Effect of intentionally designed experiences on teamwork skills among youth: An application of symbolic interaction theory. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 32(4), 82-91. Published, 06/2014.
• Piatt, J., Wells, M. S., Rothwell, E., & Bell, S. (2014). Want it: Can’t find it. The lack of sport opportunities for adolescents with physical disabilities. Palestra 28(4), 33-36. Published, 06/2014.
• Morgan, C., Sibthorp, J., & Wells, M. S. (In Press). Self-regulation and youth development: Leveraging community recreation programs to foster positive development. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 32(3), 74-91. Published, 06/2014.
• Wells, M. S., & Arthur-Banning, S. G. (2013). Sport is good? Looking at sport involvement through the lens of positive psychology. Paper presented at the Sport II: Probing the Boundaries Conference, Athens, Greece. Published, 11/2013.
• Legg, W. E., Barile, J., & Wells, M. S. (2013). Factors affecting a sense of community in youth sport parents. Paper presented at the 2013 Leisure Research Symposium, Houston, TX. Published, 10/2013.
• Schwab, K. A., Dustin, D., Legg, E., Arthur-Banning, S. G., Timmerman, D., & Wells, M. S. (2013). Choosing sport management as a college major. Schole, 28(2), 16-27. Published, 09/2013.
• Paisley, K. P., Spencer, C., Wells, M. S., & Schwab, K. (2013). The University of Utah’s Integrated Core: A case study from a “commuter campus”. Schole, 28(1), 54-63. Published, 09/2013.
• Wells, M. S., Piatt, J. A., & Paisley, K. P. (2012). Writing well in parks, recreation, and tourism: Why do we need it and how do we do it. Schole,27(2), 14-21. Published, 12/2012.
• Wells, M. S., & Arthur-Banning, S. G. (2012). The value and importance of sport for young participants. Paper presented at the Sport: Probing the Boundaries Conference, Salzburg, Austria. Published, 11/2012.
• Piatt, J., Compton, D. M., Wells, M. S., & Bennett, J. L. (2012). Interventions that effect active living among individuals with spinal cord injury. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 46(1), 9-25. Published, 04/2012.