New York Giants Super Bowl Champion Robert Kratch was more than just an elite member of the 1991 SuperBowl winning New York Giants team. Kratch was known for his hard work and the ability to impact others on and off the field in a positive way.
“Something I learned when I was growing up was to treat people the way that you wanted to be treated. If you want respect, you have to treat others the same way, no matter what. Character was what made me unique and improve throughout my career.”
Kratch was one of the strongholds that put the Giants in the position to gain momentum over their opponents by putting in the time and effort each and every down.
“Coach Bill Parcells was known to be hard on us, but he wanted everything left on the field. He was the best thing that happened to me because he pushed me past my limits. Determination is something that you want bad and you will find a way to go out there and achieve. There were many times that I was pushed, but I did not break.”
“Football was something that I gravitated towards. I mean I had my obstacles that I had to overcome, but I had a lot of support that pushed me and motivated me to do better, be better, and make it work.”
Some players worry about the future, while others worked on their craft endlessly; Kratch worked day and night to get faster, to hold blocks, to make sure that he did his duty to make sure that the Giants were successful.
“In life, you will have obstacles, but you have to hold it together. You have to take the good with the bad, and get back up. You have to have character, be persistent, work on any level of weakness, and grind. Dreams do not happen overnight, but the ability to make that dream come true is amazing. Football has given me the ability to have a lot of confidence within myself. I am more comfortable under pressure and outside of football life, it stuck with me.”
Kratch is a person that dominates anything that he puts his mind to. Even though he is retired and has a family, he still teaches the values of character to his children, family, and when he speaks to different individuals.
“You have to find your passion and just go for it. Do not let people tell you what you can or can’t do. Go out there and show them that you are capable of being the best individual that you can be. Brush any rejections off and tell yourself I can get through it.”
Life after football was somewhat hard for Kraft. It took him five years to get over the fact that he was not an NFL player anymore and that was something that he had to overcome. He overcame by having a support system and adjusting to regular life. Kratch defined all of the odds by working hard on his goals and never giving up on himself.
