A young Brenda Heaney actually began her bowling career in Toronto as she bowled for a very short time at a bowling centre on Eglinton Avenue near the Allen Road. However, following the passing of her father, Pat, in 1967, Brenda and her mother, Angela, moved to London to be close to other family members.

Having enjoyed her first try at bowling in Toronto, Brenda joined the Youth Bowling Council (YBC) program at Fleetway 40, the original centre on Oxford St. in north London. Brenda became the top youth bowler in the city and she qualified for both the annual Pepsi High School tournament and also the Senior Mixed team event on several occasions. Her average rose to 224 as she won the overall city championship in 1979 as well as Press Secretary of the Year through YBC and also won a scholarship from Bowl Ontario.

Moving to the adult ranks, Brenda continued to improve and also add high average titles from the major leagues. This display of excellence drew an invitation to the Canada Games selection camp in the summer of 1982. However, Brenda was not selected and this decision sent Brenda home with a new resolve and tournament wins would soon follow. Brenda had joined the Master Bowlers’ Association in 1980 and, to date, she has sixteen provincial tournament victories, second only to Brenda Walters. The first win would come in 1982, upon her return from the Canada Games trials, when she partnered with Hall of Famers Ian Cameron to win the opening Invitational Doubles event. Her victories have continued through 2012 when she won the scratch division of the Mid-Winter Blues. During this thirty year span, Brenda added two Mark Ten titles as well. Nationally, Brenda has excelled as well with six gold medals on the ladies team and in 2000, Brenda won the Canadian singles title on her home lanes in London. In that event, Brenda led the qualifying round and bowled Jennifer Marshall of Alberta in the final. After losing the first game of the best-of-three final, Brenda bowled 267 and 272 to win both games and the national title. As well, she set a national MBAC record in 1986 as she went undefeated in 20 games and averaged 285.

The provincial Open has been more challenging as Brenda has qualified thirty three years in a row, starting in 1980. While she has never won provincially, Brenda has finished second in the step ladder finals, losing to Brenda Walters in 1996 and Lynn White in 2000. This past year, 2013, her Middlesex Elgin ladies team did win provincially, but Brenda was denied participation when a severe fall on the ice broke her elbow in several places. Bowling with just five players, the team, with Brenda in attendance, bowled in St. John’s, Newfoundland but their effort failed to medal. In other events, Brenda bowled in the Ontario Winter Games in 1985 in St. Catharines and, in league play at B and D Lanes in Strathroy, Brenda’s high average mark reached 266 in 1993. As well, she has appeared on both CBC and TSN television series through Bowl Canada earning nearly $3,000. These accomplishments earned Brenda the prestigious 10th spot in the top 90 list as published by the Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association in the year 2000 and inclusion as one of the top 100 women to ever have participated in bowling in Canada.

Brenda has also served terms as president of the Master Bowlers’ Association of Ontario and she continues on that board as a Director. Currently, she is also the President of the Middlesex Elgin 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association. As well, Brenda has volunteered in the YBC program for thirty five years and coached the Ontario team to Youth Challenge gold nationally. Moreover she transferred these skills to the annual bowling school, conducted by the Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association, in the role of Curriculum Co-ordinator.

In 1989, Brenda married a top bowler, Dave Pankoff, who, that year, won the $25,000 first prize on CBC. On and off the lanes they have been a great team. Together, they won the MBA Mixed Doubles three times in 1990, 1994 and 2000. In addition, Brenda and Dave have two children, Brianne and Darren. Brianne is succeeding in the sport administration field, while Darren is studying pharmacology at Western University in London. Professionally, Brenda is a physiotherapist at St. Joseph’s Health Care facility in London. One of her patients, of course, is herself, as she readies her damaged elbow for a return to the lanes this current season.