The Book is Never Written

Guest Blogger: Inner-Sports

by Garret Kramer

Jordon is a fine young high school hockey player. As a sophomore he has worked his way up to his school’s varsity team that is competing in the state finals. In the exciting championship game, the score is 2-2 and there is 2:07 left on the clock when the unthinkable happens. In his quest to make a big play, Jordon reaches for the puck and accidently pulls down a player on the opposing team. The referee accesses a penalty for tripping. In disbelief, Jordon heads to the penalty box. His team must play down a man for all but seven seconds of the remainder of the period and perhaps the game. The coach complains and the school’s entire cheering section hurls insults at the ref. “How can you make that call at this point in the game!” “You stink, it’s not about you, let the kids play!’ As a result Jordon feels awful, he’s let his team, the coach, and the entire school down. He’s extremely upset as he skates to the penalty box to watch as his team’s penalty killers try to stop the opposition’s skillful power play.

But through the hysteria, something else happens to Jordon as he arrives at the penalty box door. He realizes that if he acts from a place of anger and also hurls insults at the ref, or bangs his stick, then he might be assessed an additional penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. His team will then be down for the first two minutes of overtime as well, if they make it that far. While still not happy with the ref’s call, Jordon sits calmly and notices something interesting. In their quest to score the decisive goal, the defensemen on the other team are both pushed way up into their offensive zone. If he gets the chance, maybe just maybe, there is an opportunity here. Jordon watches the clock as his teammates continue to kill the penalty: 20 seconds left, 15, 10, 5, penalty over, seven seconds to go score tied 2-2. Jordon jumps out on the ice, way behind the overly eager opposing defenseman. A teammate attempts to ice the puck, and guess what…? It lands right smack on Jordon’s stick. There are now five seconds remaining in a deadlocked state championship final game, and Jordon has the puck and nobody between himself and the opposing goalie. He sprints for the net, shoots for the top corner, and scores!

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No matter what the challenge, we just never know how things will ultimately turn out. Most of the time, the final work of art takes on an entirely different shape than the artist has planned! One secret to contentment is to find the worth and meaning in anything (and I mean anything) that has happened. When the penalty was called above, wayward thinking abounded. The coach, the fans, and even Jordon in the moment, perceived the circumstances as disastrous. After all, who could blame them, this was the state finals. And while the initial thought of disappointment is quite normal, Jordon somehow realized that the chance for something better truly existed. Like the title of this composition, the book is never written and a door is never truly closed. Grab onto this truth, settle your mind, and allow yourself to experience just how awesome the twists and turns of life will be!



Garret Kramer is the founder and Managing Partner of Inner-Sports, LLC. Inner-Sports evaluates and then coaches athletes of all ages on the behavioral characteristics that lead to peak performance on and off the field of play. Inner-Sport’s evaluative partner has created the behavioral assessment used at both the National Hockey League and the Major League Lacrosse scouting combines. Inner-Sports and Garret work with Baseball Factory players at select player development events.