TOLEDO, Ohio — Imagine every day not being able to see the way others can.
Now imagine being able to participate in bowling and inspiring others in the process.
That is a reality for members of the Northwest Ohio Blind Bowling League, who for roughly 30 weeks a year gather at Bowlero Lanes Fun Center in Toledo to engage with the sport firsthand.
"The assistance we give each other and the social support that you can do it no matter what you might think or how bad your score might be at the end of the night, you still got out here and you did it, and I think that's awesome," league member Molly Rodgers said.
Rodgers lost her eyesight three years ago due to diabetic retinopathy. Before that, she was a person who loved art and dance and was a social gathering lover.
After struggling with the initial reality of losing her eyesight, Rodgers has found a way to reengage with those around her all in thanks to league organizer Andrea Marley.
"She invited me to join and that was really important to me because after my vision loss, which was really just in the last three years, I ended up leaving a lot of my other social activities," said Rodgers. "I was involved with a lot of arts events and local dance troops, and a lot of those things just became uncomfortable or too difficult for me."
Marley also deals with a visual impairment as she is legally blind. However, her love for the lane, as well as her job as a certified visual rehabilitation therapist at The Sight Center of Northwest Ohio, made creating a league for those like her a proud accomplishment.
"That was my goal to try and get some of our clients more involved and active," Marley said. "So I decided to start trying to put together a bowling league for individuals who have vision loss so they can get out and be more active and have some social interaction with others."
The league was formed back in September 2023, starting with about five members. Today, the league sits at 12, a number that Marley wants to grow as well as earn certification from the American Blind Bowling Association.
"I enjoy what I do so that's probably why I spend extra time after work trying to establish leagues like this," Marley said.