Rolling to victory

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The most remarkable part of their championship run was that when they first teamed up to compete, Pauline could only bowl one frame. Pauline was born with a disability that affects her legs and forces her to walk with braces on them. She has no feeling from her knees down to her toes. "Imagine bowling on stilts," Brennan said of his daughter. "That's pretty much what she does, which is amazing."
About one year ago, Pauline said, was the first time she bowled a full game. She said they originally joined the league because they thought it would be fun, plus, it would be a good way to meet new people. Then after three years of finishing the bowling season in the middle of the pack, this year was a bit different. "We always went for fun, and then all of a sudden, we found ourselves in first place," Brennan said. He added that his bowling average is around 200 and Pauline's is about 105.
Pauline had her best game two weeks ago, when she bowled a combined 376 over three games. Her high score for the three games was 162. Even with a disability in her legs, it never took away her ability to remain competitive. "I try to go out there and beat people every week," she said. Her father said that when Pauline bowls, she has to carry the ball to the line, balance herself, then throw it down the lane. "She works from the hips," he said. "But she throws a nasty lefty hook."
The first half of the 30-week, 16-team league is over, and Pauline and her dad are champions. They bowl every Sunday morning and Brennan said he would love to keep playing in the league "as long as she's my partner." Besides winning it all in the bowling league with her dad, Pauline said she loves to write poetry - particularly sonnets - about her life experiences. She currently goes to school at Henry Viscardi, a school in Albertson for children with disabilities. Pauline added that when she graduates, she wants to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. "I always loved animals," she said. "But I just don't know where I'm going to study."
The Brennan's will receive their championship trophy during a ceremony at the conclusion of the second-half of the season.
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