Hey Everyone, inspired by some other posts on here about users' Nationals experiences, I figure I can reflect on mine and offer as much info as I can to those going out.

First, a bit about me as a bowler: spin biscuit galore! I'm righty, have around 290-300 RPMs, my PAP is 4.5 over, and 0.5 up, my axis tilt is around 20* and my axis rotation is around 65*, and my speed is between 15-16, depending on what the lane calls for.

Teams
Our team had 2 practice sessions at Strike'n'Spare, and then we bowled team event on a Thursday night. We were on 35-36. Compared to each other, Strike'n'Spare had more backend movement and blew up much earlier than the Oncenter. Our team and companion team's goals was to target 5/6/7 during practice, and then try to use 7/8/9 as our breakpoint to start. Unexpectedly, I was able to play straight up 5/6/7 for practice and then actually stand there with the burn ball and stay there. It held up for practice and the first five frames. Around frame 6 or 7, we all had to start migrating in. Since I was right of everybody, I had to make a 5 and 2 move in - but I had pleeeeenty of room for error. I was putting the ball down on 12 and targeting 9 at the arrows - so fairly direct still. I stayed here until the 7th frame of game 2.

It was about this time things got a little dicey. I tried moving in another 5 and 2, and it was actually reading too early. Lots of folks were inside of me the whole day, so I moved into already-used head oil. I balled down and had a decent look. I had miss room right, and actually some hold at this point.

Then around the 5th frame of game 3, the lanes just fried out and became a friction-fest. I ended the day putting the ball down on 20 and looking at 12/13 at the arrows. The heads were gone, so I had trouble getting the ball to push far enough down lane to have a nice reaction. Overall, I scored decent - 573.

Balls for teams:

• 900 Global Inception Redux sanded to 1000 - my burn ball did work!  Drilled 4x4x2
• Storm Son!Q at box finish. Drilled with a 4.5 inch pin and ~3 inch pin buffer

I can't express this enough - sometime during game 3, in every squad I watched, the lanes opened up too much. Be ready to make a huge jump left, or skip a few levels when you ball down. If I had to do it again, I'd skip my Son!Q and go right to my Global X2 or even a really tamely drilled Storm Match Solid


Singles/Doubles
The Journal and the S/D felt real similar to me. The only difference is that the Oncenter broke down faster than the Journal.

Note: on our S/D pair, we had two dudes with tonnnnns of hand that had balls at 360 and trashed the lanes. The 4 of us that bowled from teams had a game plan of breaking down 5/6/7 and staying there as long as possible. We threw it out the window with the ShimWhackers and wound up playing closer to the pocket and covering more lane than originally intended. I started the day putting the ball down on 8 and looking at 6 at the arrows. This lasted for a few frames only, so I chased it in as the first game went on. I had a decent look putting the ball down on 12 and looking at 9 (similar to teams). This held up for the rest of Game 1.

Come Game 2, my ball was reading too soon again, so I chased it in - now placing it down on 15 and looking at 11. This puts me square in the ShimWhackers zone, so it lasted 2 shots, lol. I move in again - this time placing it on 17 and looking at 12. It looked good! Come the end of Game 2, and the ball's jumping like mad. I switch to something longer, and had a muuuuuch better look. I wound up using this ball for the next 3 games!

Come game 3, 4, and 5 - I was able to just chase it left as the day went on. The ShimWhackers created a NICE area for me to bump it off, and I was a happy camper - spin to win baby. Come the end of Game 5, the ball was starting to jump. I'm now placing the ball down on probably 25 and looking at 13. There was so much friction, the ball couldn't get that far right - I used the free hook and scored well.

At the end of Game 5, I switched to the burn ball I used in Teams and it gave me a much better down lane reaction for Game 6. I had to move once - putting me around 28 and still looking at 12, never getting it that far right, lol.

I scored well in both: 585 in doubles and 641 in singles.

Balls for Singles/Doubles:

• 900 Global Inception Solid, at 1000 Abralon, drilled with this crazy early rolling pin-down layout - something like 40* x 3.5 x 80*
• Storm Sure Lock, at 200 Abralon, drilled 4x4x2
• 900 Global Inception Redux, at 1000 Abralon with leftover Team shine on it, drilled 4x4x2

Final Thoughts
Both patterns are very scoreable, and behave strangely similar in the OnCenter. Being a spin biscuit, I used lots of big flare balls, lots of asym stuff to get it to tip on the fresh, and lots of surface. For me, the rollier the ball, the less often I lost the pocket. Always a good time, and I hope next year is even better for me!

I hope someone finds this useful. Good luck out there, and have fun!

Bowled derby weekend. Just ok, had a 204 triplicate, 612 in singles. I agree with most of it except careful not to use to much surface, 1000 is about right, anymore will just blow them up to quick, then you will have to make huge moves quickly. For you storm, roto guys. Code x, and idols look real good with medium surface. Journal has a hair more friction I think because of the older surface, even though it’s the same pattern for d/s, but they play close. Currently 5th in senior division at the journal with 704. Used a global black ops pin up with 1000. Good luck to all heading out to bowl. Hope this helps.