Two Barren Co. Flames to compete in national bowling tourney

Jan. 11--GLASGOW -- Bryan Cheely and his unified partner, Ronnie England, both of Glasgow, received confirmation Monday that they will be part of a four-man team to represent Kentucky at the 2019 National Unified Partner Special Olympics Bowling Tournament.

Cheely is excited to be able to compete in bowling on the national level.

"I feel amazing to do it and awesome," he said.

The event will be conducted by the United States Bowling Congress and Special Olympics North America as part of 45 days of USBC National Championships. It is scheduled to take place March 4-8 in Las Vegas.

Cheely and England will team up with a unified pair from Stewart Home School in Lexington to form Team Kentucky.

Having a unified team means bowlers with the Special Olympics are paired with traditional bowlers.

Bryan Cheely and England will bowl in a team competition and then in separate doubles competition.

"We are excited to have another Barren County Special Olympics athlete going to represent our community at the national level," said James Cheely, Bryan's father and community coordinator of the Barren County Flames.

The other athlete who recently represented the Barren County community at the national level was Daniel Williams, who also competed in bowling, and brought home a gold medal.

This will be Cheely and England's first time to compete on the national level, which England said is "a really big deal. We were picked out of probably over 100 people."

England has known Bryan Cheely for several years. The two attend the same church. They have been bowling partners in a church league for about two years.

"I just think the world of him and his family," England said. "Bryan asked me last summer if I would be willing to bowl with him in unified bowling. I really didn't know what I was getting myself into."

Bryan Cheely and England won the regional bowling competition in Bowling Green on Oct. 20 and then advanced to state competition in Louisville on Dec. 2. At the state competition, they tied for first and each received a gold medal.

"These guys and girls with Special Olympics are just a really loving bunch of folks. It's just a pleasure to be around them," England said.

The guidelines Bryan Cheely and England will follow at the national competition will be the same as what they have had at other levels of competition.

As for who is the better bowler, Bryan Cheely or England, Bryan Cheely said, "I don't know yet."

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