Faculty and Staff Profile

Bob Barcelona

Educational Background

Ph.D. Recreation and Park Administration
Indiana University-Bloomington 2001

M.S. Recreational Sports Administration
Indiana University-Bloomington 1995

B.A. Political Science
The University of Mississippi 1993

Courses Taught

Management and Financing
Recreational Sport Management
Recreation Leadership
Recreation Administration and Organizational Behavior
Strategic Planning
Foundations of Youth Development
Program Evaluation

Profile

Bob Barcelona, Ph.D., CPRP currently serves as Department Chair/Head and Professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at Clemson University. Dr. Barcelona’s research and professional interests focus broadly on increasing access to sport and recreation programs and facilities, and on improving the quality of recreation experiences through partnerships, planning, creative financing, staff training, and professional development. He is specifically interested in research that relates to access and constraints to public recreation opportunities and investigating the benefits of active recreation participation. Dr. Barcelona has partnered with the NH Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DNCR) on numerous Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plans (SCORP), and has worked with federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Department of Education on various research and program evaluation efforts. Dr. Barcelona also provides leadership for the Community Planning and Research Collaborative (CPARC), conducting community engaged research, strategic, and master planning with parks and recreation agencies throughout the country. Prior to working at Clemson University, Dr. Barcelona held faculty appointments at the University of New Hampshire and Indiana University and worked in collegiate athletics and recreational sports at the University of Mississippi and the University of California-Berkeley. He currently serves as the Chair of the Council on Accreditation for Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions (COAPRT) and is a Fellow in the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA).

Research Publications

Selected Publications

Lower-Hoppe, L.M., Farrell, A., Cioletti, A., Talcott, A., Rector, M., Brgoch, S.M., & Barcelona, R.J. (2023). Risky business: Reopening recreational sport facilities during COVID-19. Journal of Applied Sport Management, 15(3), 1-11. DOI: 10.7290/jasm-2023-V15-I3-Hrii

Lynch, M.L., Trauntvein, N.E., Barcelona, R.J., & Moorhead, C.A.E. (2023). Retaining camp's most valuable resource: A study on the fulfillment of counselor autonomy, competence, and relatedness and their impact on willingness to return. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 41(4), 37-54. DOI: 10.18666/JPRA-2023-11849

Lower-Hoppe, L., Farrell, A., Barcelona, R., Brgoch, S., Lowe, C., & Dunn, D. (2022). Re-opening collegiate recreation during COVID-19: A case study of plans and policies. Recreational Sports Journal, 46(1), 16-30. DOI: 10.1177/15588661221086344

Newman, T., Santos, F., Pierce, S., Collins, K., Barcelona, R.J., & Mercier, V. (2022). Scholars’ perspectives of positive youth development in coach education for high school sports. Advance online publication. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy. DOI: 10.1080/17408989.2022.2039616

Ferguson, M. D., Caraynoff, A., Ferguson, L. A., Barcelona, R., Evensen, D., Knox, H., & Grosz, D. (2022). Whether They Return: Modeling outdoor recreation behaviors, decision-making, and intention-to-return in federally designated wilderness. Advance Online Publication. Forests. DOI: 10.3390/f13071018

Ferguson, M. D., McIntosh, K., English, D. K., Ferguson, L. A., Barcelona, R., Giles, G., Fraser, O., & Leberman, M. (2022). The Outdoor Renaissance: Assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon outdoor recreation visitation, behaviors, and decision-making in New England’s National Forests. Advance Online Publication. Society and Natural Resources. DOI: 10.1080/08941920.2022.2055247

Ferguson, M. D., Lynch, M. L., Evensen, D., Ferguson, L. A., Barcelona, R., & Giles, G. (2022). The Nature of the pandemic: Exploring the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic upon recreation visitor behaviors and experiences in parks and protected areas. Advance online publication. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism. DOI: 10.1016/j.jort.2022.100498

Craig, P., Barcelona, R., Aytur, S., Amato, J., & Gravink, J. (2022). Inclusion in sport. In M. Devine & L. Anderson (Eds.). Inclusive Leisure: A Strengths-Based Approach (2nd Edition). Urbana, IL: Sagamore.

Bocarro, J.N., & Barcelona, R.J. (2022). Parks and recreation. In K.H. Nelson & C.W. Steinberg (Eds.) Managing Local Government Services. Washington, D.C.: International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

Ferguson, M.D., Giles, G., Ferguson, L.A., Barcelona, R.J., Evensen, D., & Barrows, C. (2021). Seeing the forest for the trees: A social-ecological approach to sustainably managing outdoor recreation visitation in parks and protected areas. Advance online publication. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism. DOI: 10.1016/j.jort.2021.100473

Hartman, C.L., Anderson, D.L., & Barcelona, R.J. (2021). College-attending emerging adults’ free time perception profiles: Relationships with well-being and identity development. Journal of Leisure Research. Advance Online Publication. DOI: 10.1080/00222216.2021.1999780

Barcelona, R.J. & Hartman, C.L. (2021). Connectedness as a predictor of academic and youth development outcomes at a summer day camp for low-income youth. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 39(3), 120-131. DOI: 10.18666/JPRA-2020-10749

Powers, S.L., Trauntvein, N.E., & Barcelona, R.J. (2020). Municipal stakeholders' perceptions of the importance and outcomes of multi-sector recreation partnerships. Managing Sport and Leisure, 27(4), 322-336. DOI: 10.1080/23750472.2020.1791235

Powers, S., Barcelona, R., Trauntvein, N., & McLaughlin, S. (2020). The role of classroom design in facilitating student engagement in recreation and leisure education. Schole: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education. Advance online publication. DOI: 10.1080/1937156X.2020.1718042

Powers, S., Trauntvein, N., Barcelona, R., & Hartman, C. (2020). Utilizing culturally relevant leisure as an experiential learning tool: Implications for leisure studies and recreation education. Schole: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education. Advance online publication. DOI: 10.1080/1937156X.2020.1760743

Barcelona, R.J. (2020). Sport management and sport teams. In K. Schwab, C. Stevens, L. Allen, E. Sheffield, & J. Murphy (Eds.) A Career with Meaning: Recreation, Parks, Sport Management, Hospitality, and Tourism (3nd Edition). Urbana, IL: Sagamore.

Hartman, C.L., Barcelona, R.J., Trauntvein, N.E, & Hall, S. (2019). Well-being and leisure time psychosocial factors predict physical activity among university students. Leisure Studies, 39(1), 156-164. DOI: 10.1080/02614367.2019.1670722

Powers, S., Trauntvein, N., Barcelona, R., & Hartman, C. (2019). Constraints and negotiations to student recreational sports center usage. Journal of Amateur Sports, 5(2), 18-38.

Craig, P.J., Barcelona, R.J., Aytur, S., Amato, J., & Young, S.J. (2019). Using inclusive sport for social change in Malawi, Africa: A research-based case study. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 53(3), 244-263. https://doi.org/10.18666/TRJ-2019-V53-I3-9720.

Hurd, A., Barcelona, R., & Zimmerman, J. (2019). Leisure Services Management, 2nd Edition. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Gray, H.J., & Barcelona, R.J. (2018). Recreational sport management. In T. Tapps & M.S. Wells (Eds.). Introduction to Recreation and Leisure (3rd Edition). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Hartman, C.L., Evans, K., Barcelona, R.J., & Brookover, R.S. (2018). Constraints and facilitators to developing collaborative campus wellness partnerships. Recreational Sport Journal, 42(2), 130-144. DOI: 10.1123/rsj.2017-0030.

Collins, K.E., & Barcelona, R.J. (2018). Keep ‘Em Playing: Strategies for building positive youth sport experiences. Strategies: A Journal for Physical and Sport Educators, 31(5), 8-14.

Arthur-Banning, S., Colistra, C.M., Barcelona, R.J., & Orem, G.L. (2015). An integrative review of sport research in selected United States recreation journals, 1985-2012. Applied Recreational Research and Programming Annual, 5, 22-59.

Shaw, K.G., Barcelona, R.J., & Anderson, D.M. (2015). Parental perceptions of constraints to family participation in nature-based, outdoor experiences. Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership, 7(1), 3-19.

Barcelona, R.J., Wells, M.S., & Banning, S.A. (2015). Recreational Sport: Program Design and Delivery. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Barcelona, R.J., Brookover, R.S., Smith, M.E., & Houck, T.P. (2014). Dissolving the Greenville County Recreation District (GCRD): Creating a plan for intergovernmental cooperation in Greenville County. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 32(4), 92-99.

Barcelona, R.J., & Collins, K.E. (2014). Youth sport coaches’ perceptions of the usefulness of a statewide coach-training program. Applied Recreational Research and Programming Annual, 4, 1-30.

Sweeney, T.P., & Barcelona, R.J. (2012). An integrative review of published research in the Recreational Sports Journal, 1998-2010. Recreational Sports Journal, 36(4), 91-103. DOI: 10.1123/rsj.36.2.91

Rockey, D.L., & Barcelona, R.J. (2012). An overview of fitness and recreation in collegiate settings. In G. McClellan, C. King, and D. Rockey (Eds.). Handbook of College Athletics and Recreation Administration. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Barcelona, R.J., & Quinn, W. (2011). Trends in youth development research topics: An integrative review of positive youth development research published in selected journals, 2001-2010. Journal of Youth Development, 6(3), 20-39.

Barcelona, R., Hurd, A., & Bruggeman, J. (2011). A competency-based approach for preparing staff as recreation and youth development specialists. New Directions for Youth Development, 130, 121-139.

Fleming, D., Barcelona, R., & Allen, L. (2011). Back to the future: The potential relationship between recreation and education. New Directions for Youth Development, 130, 43-57.

Toperzer, L., Anderson, D., & Barcelona, R. (2011). Best practices in student development for campus recreation professionals. Recreational Sports Journal, 35(2), 145-156.

Barcelona, R.J., & Young, S.J. (2011). Hands on or hands off? Municipal recreation agencies’ role and influence in youth sports coach-parent training. Applied Recreational Research and Programming Annual, 1, 24-54.

Honors and Awards

Fellow, American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration
Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP)
Former Chair, Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions (COAPRT)
Former Editor-in-Chief, Recreational Sports Journal
Excellence in Innovation Award, Clemson University College of Health, Education, and Human Development
Outstanding Professional Alumni Award, Indiana University Division of Recreational Sports