Category: Sports and Leisure

Destinations and Apps to Experience the Natural World

Raptor flying in large cage, experience the natural world
~ MD Harris Institute ~ Leave a comment

Americans spend a huge portion of our time indoors and miss the majesty and mystery of the natural world. Places throughout the country, and apps available anywhere, are trying to fix this problem. Go out and experience the natural world.

By Mark Harris, MD, MPH, MBA, MDiv, ThM, PhD, DBA

Spring break, which used to be called Easter vacation, provides a few days away from school, and often work. Nancy, Sarah, and I went to visit old friends, the Creason family, this year. The biggest highlight of any such journey is building relationships, but two destinations stood out. Since Americans spend over 90% of their time indoors, and since I love the outdoors, we made sure to visit both on our trip.[1] Since then, we have travelled many other natural places, and technology helped improve our experience.

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Shooting with Sons

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Shooting, including hunting, tactical training, and target practice, is both enjoyable and educational. It is a good way to enjoy friends and family, and to provide for and protect yourself and those you love in times of need. Safe shooting should be a core skill for all interested Americans. Fathers should teach their sons not to fear guns but to master them.  

By Mark D. Harris, MD, MPH, MBA, MDiv, ThM, PhD, DBA

Last week I went to the gun range to shoot with one of my sons. Over the years, members of our family have spent many hours on ranges and hunting grounds from Alaska to Germany. Shooting is a useful skill and a pleasant pastime, and we were glad to find the range open again after COVID-19. Many would have us fear guns. They would take them away from us, as the Nazis did to the German people in the 1930s. A better choice is for fathers to learn to use weapons of all sorts and teach their sons (and daughters) how to use them responsibly.

Parents, more than teachers, friends, or anyone else, will answer to God for how well they treated and trained the little ones that He entrusted to their care. From ethics to personal finance, parents train their children. Self-defense should be included.

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My Favorite Runs

~ MD Harris Institute ~ 1 Comment

Enjoyable walking, running, and cycling areas in the USA. Join me as we talk about my favorite runs (and hikes and bikes)

By Mark D. Harris

After retiring from the US Army in September 2016, I took a new job in Tennessee. My schedule prevented me from doing one of my favorite things, running. Today, however, I took a glorious 5-miler in the Wolf River Nature Area outside Germantown, TN. Running there reminded me of some of my favorite places to run, bike, or walk, throughout the United States. These trails are relatively easy, and located close to urban areas. Unlike some of the trails considered “Best in the US” for running, these are (generally) short and accessible to casual walkers, runners, bikers, and hikers.

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Soccer Tips from Coach Mark

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How to give your players a fun and developmental soccer season.

I have coached soccer for school aged boys and girls for about three years and served as a sports medicine physician for a wide variety of sports for six years. Whether I am the team coach, the team doctor, or just a fan, I always have five goals for the game, in order of importance:

  1. No one gets hurt.
  2. Kids have fun.
  3. Kids learn leadership, teamwork, and character.
  4. Each child gets to play every position.
  5. Our team wins.

To accomplish those three goals in soccer, I have included some information for players and parents to learn. Practices are twice per week and games once per week. Players should practice at home five or six days per week.

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Archery and the Christian Life

Archery and the Christian Life
~ MD Harris Institute ~ 8 Comments

Sports like archery can teach us a lot about life as a Christian. Really, anything can, if we only have eyes to see and ears to hear. 

By Mark D. Harris

During a recent flight to San Antonio I was reading Marshall Hodgson’s classic The Venture of Islam (V1) and considering the spread of Islam in the world. I pondered the Muslim Arab victories over the Byzantines at Yarmuk (636 AD) and the Sasanids at Qadisiyah (637 AD), and the Muslim Berber victory over the Visigoths at Guadalete (712 AD). Many factors contributed to the success of The Faithful, and one of the greatest was their use of archery.

Just as something as simple and powerful as the bow and arrow can transform the political and religious world, it can also inform the Christian life. The purpose of the bow is to propel an arrow accurately and swiftly into a target, whether a hay bale, a deer, or a man. There are several steps to do this effectively:

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Archery – Foundational Skills

~ MD Harris Institute ~ 1 Comment

Want to shoot like Robin Hood? Here are some tips to get you started. 

By Mark D. Harris

Archery is a fine, fun and relaxing sport. During our courtship, Nancy and I would spend hours at the outdoor range just shooting, talking, and enjoying the sights and sounds of nature around. She would pack a lunch and the days were delightful. I highly recommend picnics at the range rather than expensive restaurant lunches and movies during which no one talks to really get to know a person.

For those interested in learning the basics of archery, here they are.

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