Iowa is the latest stop on a Senior Games journey around the U.S. for four Floridians and one Texan. The collection of bowlers have competed in every National Senior Games since 2013 and visited 11 states for Senior Games competitions.
The wheels on the recreational vehicles rolled from Florida to Iowa bringing Lisa Polonczyk, Michael Prunier, Chuck Thiverge and Lori Wareham, Lisa’s twin sister, to roll bowling balls down the lanes at the 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana.
Michael Prunier, Tom Polonczyk, Tom Polonczyk, Lori Wareham and Chuck Thiverge enjoy the Flame Arrival atmosphere of fun.
Lisa’s husband Tom won’t be rolling a bowling ball, but he will be throwing some bags at the Cornhole competition.
Calling the River Oaks RV Park their home for the near future, Iowa is just another stop on a Senior Games journey around the U.S. for these four Floridians and one Texan. Since 2013, the collection of bowlers have competed in every National Senior Games since that time and have visited 11 states for Senior Games competitions.
At the 2013 National Senior Games, Lisa and Michael were bowling and Michael approached Lisa to be his partner at the 2015 National Senior Games.
“We had never met, but he came up to me and wanted me to be his partner in two years,” Lisa said. “We shook hands and said, ‘See you in two years.”
They met up in Minneapolis for mixed doubles bowling and won the gold medal.
“We were both really nervous,” Prunier said. “We didn’t want to let each other down after agreeing to pair up together two years earlier.”
Since that gold medal winning performance, the collection of the five have visited Senior Games locations in their home state of Florida, as well as Alabama, Delaware, Idaho, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, South Dakota, Texas and Virginia. Add in National Senior Games locations in Ohio, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and now Iowa, and it’s up to 15 states.
In 2023 and 2024, Lisa, Tom and Lori took the ultimate Senior Games road trips competing in Texas, Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Maryland and wrapped up both years in Florida.
In South Dakota, Lisa entered five swimming events and won five medals.
“Traveling to the west was an experience,” Lisa said. “We bowled in all of the states and went sightseeing. We went to the Corn Palace and Sturgis and panned for gold in South Dakota.”
Will more gold be earned on the lanes in Des Moines? Or will it just be another collection of golden memories during the group’s stay in Iowa?
By: Nick Gandy
