[NFBOH-Cleveland] [Ohio-Talk] Wilbert Turner's News Interview on, Blind bowlers break barriers

[Cheryl Fields]

This is great! I wanted to post on my FB page but couldn’t. If someone is able to post please tag me. Thanks

Cheryl E. Fields


Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 16, 2020, at 5:43 PM, Suzanne Turner via Ohio-Talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> Blind bowlers break barriers, and throw plenty of strikes 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There's nothing as sweet as a strike - especially when you're as competitive
> as Wilbert Turner.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> By: Homa Bash <https://www.news5cleveland.com/homa-bash>  
> 
> Posted at 3:23 PM, Sep 15, 2020 
> 
> and last updated 2020-09-16 15:02:19-04
> 
> There's nothing as sweet as a strike - especially when you're as competitive
> as Wilbert Turner.
> 
> Wilbert is the former president of a local bowling league, a world-record
> holder, and - he's been blind since birth.
> 
> "I never liked being thought of as just that poor blind guy," Wilbert said.
> "I think I can do pretty much everything you do with the exception of being
> able to see."
> 
> With every swing of the 16-pound ball, Wilbert proves that over and over
> again.
> 
> "I have the tendency to run off the floor when I throw a strike," he said.
> 
> Rich Williams is a certified bowling coach - dedicating his time to helping
> blind bowlers get better at Nautical Lanes in Avon Lake.
> 
> "For me, it's been fantastic because I've coached pro bowlers, adult league
> bowlers, high school bowlers, special needs bowlers," Williams said. "But of
> all those, it has been most unique and challenging and rewarding to work
> with this group."
> 
> Tom Norton's vision impairment started when he was in his 30s. By the time
> he reached his 80s, Tom was legally blind.
> 
> "I simply see dark shadows," he said.
> 
> Blindness can lead to isolation, depression, and withdrawing into your home.
> 
> Norton and his family wanted to combat all that.
> 
> "Blind people tend to shelter in and have lots of issues and problems
> because of that," he added.
> 
> So when Norton came across the Blind Bowling League, he wanted nothing more
> than to spread the word.
> 
> There are roughly 30,000 blind people in Cuyahoga County, according to the
> Cleveland Sight Center.
> 
> Norton and his wife created a foundation to provide free bowling lessons to
> anyone in need at Nautical Lanes, hoping to grow the Blind Bowling League
> more and more.
> 
> "I began to realize out of the 24 people that belong to the blind bowling
> league here in Cleveland, only 12 of them are blind. The other 12 are
> helpers," Norton said.
> 
> "Helpers" - usually family or friends who help these bowlers find the finger
> holes, get back to their seats, cheer them on with every spare, strike, or
> even single pin down.
> 
> And even though they can't see them tumble down - these bowlers can feel it.
> 
> The best part of the blind bowling league, they say, is getting that social
> interaction with others right alongside quality time with family in a sport
> *everyone can take part in.
> 
> And hey, if you win against a sighted person here and there - that only
> makes the strike that much sweeter.
> 
> "I'm OK with you having a little doubt in the beginning because I'm usually
> here to prove you wrong," Wilbert said.
> 
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