Gophers wrestling coach J Robinson is in Las Vegas this weekend to be on hand for the U.S. Senior Nationals, with spots in April's U.S. Olympic Team Trials on the line. Nine Minnesota alums are among the hopefuls but before Robinson even took off from Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport another former wrestler had his attention.
"I get on the plane and hear, 'Hey, J Rob!'" Robinson recalled. "I turn around, and it's Chad Kraft in his pilot's uniform. I immediately said, 'I'm getting off this thing right now.'"
Robinson, of course, was kidding. In 30 years as Gophers coach he's groomed 63 all-Americas, 31 Big Ten champions and 14 national champions. But Kraft, a four-time all-America with the Gophers in the 1990s, is the first former wrestler to be at the controls on one of his commercial flights.
Robinson was more than happy to be a passenger.
"I bump into guys all the time, so many of them stick around the area," Robinson said. "But here's this qualified flight guy that you know – with all the flights going in and out the chances are so small. Of all the people you run into on flights and in airports, and this time it's him."
The pleasure, though, was all in the front of the aircraft.
"He is a big part of my success and to have the opportunity to fly him, something I do every day now, was definitely an honor," said Kraft, who started flight training after his wrestling career ended in 1999 and has been a commercial pilot since 2007. "What a great way to catch up."
Robinson said he complimented Kraft after the flight landed smoothly in Vegas.
