BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Don Schiller first picked up a bowling ball at age 4. By age 10, he had developed a love and skill for the game. But his eyesight was quickly beginning to fade due to macular degeneration, which causes loss in the center of the field of vision.

Being diagnosed as legally blind at a young age did not dim his resolve to continue rolling strikes and picking up spares on the local lanes. He continued to participate in local leagues for the next few decades, relying on his peripheral vision, foot markers on the alley approach and a passion for the game.

Don added a lifetime achievement award to his career highlights this past fall when he was inducted into the Greater Bloomington United States Bowling Congress Association Hall of Fame for his dedication to the sport.

Despite only being able to see the pins as “blobs at the end of the alley,” Don remarkably maintained a 150 average before finally hanging up his shoes and ball recently due to a hand injury.

“I had to completely redevelop my game based on the dots on the approach,” says Don, a 33-year employee of State Farm. “My teammates would give me input on my alignment based on how we similarly threw the ball and then I could adjust left or right, forward or back based on that information.”

Don says his competitive nature was a big driver in learning to adapt his game despite his eyesight.

“I knew I wanted to continue to participate,” Don says. “I had the muscle memory from a young age. I just had to make adaptations like any other athlete in sports would make. I never wanted to stop because of my eyesight.”

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