BY Liz Such, Editor

Bowling is more than just a  hobby for bowling coach and science teacher James McKnight.

Over the summer his pet rat, Spunky, bit him and McKnight contracted a disease similar to the bubonic plague. The same plague that killed over 3 million people in the dark ages.

McKnight went through kidney dialysis every other day for 4 hours at a time, was in the hospital for six and a half weeks and lost his right thumb as a result of unlikely happenstance.

Since November, McKnight has returned to being the coach of Kaneland’s  girl’s bowling team.  Not even a missing phalange can slow him down.

In order to continue his passion for bowling, McKnight is teaching himself how to bowl with his left hand.

“Everything is different. I feel weaker and uncoordinated. Things look different. The ball rolls differently, and I have basically no confidence in my abilities.   I thought about just giving up bowling, but it’s too important in my life,” McKnight said.

McKnight’s equipment, had to be changed to accommodate to his change in hand.  He had to get new shoes and a new ball drilled to fit his left hand’s fingers.

“Now, my right foot does the sliding to the foul line, not the left,” McKnight said.

The first time he bowled with his new ball he got a 59, just below the American average of 77.

“I was just hoping for a double-digit score, and the 59 did not disappoint. The experience inspired me to keep trying. I now know I can do it, and it’s just going to take a lot of practice,” McKnight said.

McKnight’s new experience drove him to keep trying.  Bowling, like any other sport takes determination and practice.  It does not come easily.

“[Bowling with my left hand.] makes me empathize with our new bowlers, because they often join the team with very little experience. I can feel not only their frustration and pain, but also their excitement and determination,” McKnight said.

“The support, love, empathy, and concern were amazing. I’m humbly grateful to everyone. I’m really back,” McKnight said.