Dr. Bowers graduated with a B.S. and an M.S. in Sport Management from the University of Florida in 2005/2007, where he also worked with the Gators football and women's basketball programs. Foregoing a career coaching collegiate basketball, he earned his doctoral degree in Sport Management at the University of Texas at Austin. In addition to serving as a faculty member with the Sport Management program, Dr. Bowers also works extensively in the field with a range of sport organizations in both research and consulting capacities. He lives in Austin with his wife, Lauren, and son, Samson.
Ph.D. in Kinesiology, University of Texas at Austin, 2011
B.S. in Exercise & Sports Science/ Sports Management, University of Florida, 2005
B.S. in Exercise & Sports Science/ Sports Management, University of Florida, 2007
My research examines the management of systems for athlete and coach development. Specifically, I investigate the potential supplemental impact that non-organized sport settings, such as pick-up sports and video games, may have on these development systems. Drawing from an interdisciplinary blend of quantitative, qualitative, and historical methodologies, my research focuses on leveraging this understanding of settings to influence the design and implementation of sport programs and policies that promote both elite performance and mass participation throughout the lifespan. Further, I also consider the development of creativity and innovation in and through sport at both the individual and organizational levels.
Bowers, M. & Dixon, M. (2015). Sport management: An exploration of the field and its value. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.
Bowers, M., Green, B. & Seifried, C. (2014). 'Let the marketplace be the judge': Founders reflect on the origins and trajectory of NASSM. Journal of Sports Management.
Bowers, M., Green, B., Hemme, F. & Chaplin, L. (2014). Assessing the relationship between youth sport participation settings and creativity in adulthood. Creativity Research Journal(26), 314–327.
Bowers, M. & Green, B. (2013). Reconstructing the youth sport experience: How children derive meaning from unstructured and organized settings. Journal of Sports Management, 27, 422–438.
Bowers, M. (2011). Playing video games as a supplement to identity: Insights on former college athlete transitions. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 4, 289–308.
Bowers, M. & Hunt, T. (2011). The President's Council on Physical Fitness and the systemization of children's play in America. International Journal of the History of Sport, 28, 1496–1511.
Bowers, M., Chalip, L. & Green, B. (2011). Beyond the façade: Youth sport development in the United States and the illusion of synergy.. Routledge Handbook of Sports Development (pp. 173–183). Oxfordshire, UK: Routledge.
Undergraduate Teacher of the Year, Department of Kinesiology and Health Education (2014 - 2015)
Faculty/ Teacher of the Year, University of Texas Kinesiology Club (2012)
