As I always do around this time of year, I keep going back and forth in regard to what I want to bring. Since I fly with two three-ball totes, I've basically got room for 5 balls plus plastic for spares. The key here is to try to bring the gear that will give me the most versatility, meaning that they can be played on either pattern depending on surface prep. Here's what I'm thinking at the moment (keep in mind, I'm a no-thumb bolwer):

Storm Vivid (2000 for team; 1000 for minors)
Motiv Forza GT (2000)
Storm Byte (2000)
Storm Tropical Heat Hybrid (2000 plus polish)
Brunswick Fanatic BTU (500)
Target Zone

The thoughts is to try to use the 500-grit BTU during the early portion of team and possibly minors while trying to go straighter from the outside. If that ball reads like it should, I may be able to stay with that one for a good while during team. If I have to switch, the Byte or Forza should allow me to go away from the pocket a little more with smooth recovery. Which one to go to will depend on how the front of the lane is holding up.

In minors, I can also consider using that Vivid to help break things down. That ball is very smooth/rolly. The Forza will likely play after when I need something a bit cleaner up front but that can still get to the spot. The Tropical Heat is great once that spot develops down lane because that ball will glide to it and bounce off of it nicely. I figure that ball will be best during minors when it's time to get in a bit and throw to the spot.

I also considered swapping out the Byte in favor of a 1000-grit Tropical Breeze Hybrid. My thought there was that that ball would allow me to go away from the pocket a bit more in team without having to worry about a nasty move on the back. If I did that, it would probably be in place of the Byte.

Thoughts?

Your point is certainly well taken, and you're 100% correct. I'm going to try to get myself onto different patterns and surfaces as much as possible between now and then, but, in the end, I'm going to have to make my best guesses because it's not easy to find sport patterns in my area. As such, I'm basing most of this off of what I've read/been told and the little that I've seen from USBC's streaming of various parts.

The BTU is a mystery. I use that ball at 500-grit all the time, even on our house shot, because the ball is way too squirty for me at any other surface. My hope is that I can use that ball to play straight. I've talked to some people who have already been there who claim that urethane is definitely an option early on in team. I have a Black Hammer (the new one), but I'd prefer not to throw true urethane due to the propensity for those balls to push some oil. The BTU should allow me a similar look. My worry there is that, for me, the BTU is very clean up front, and it still can come off the spot pretty hard. With that in mind, I'm worried that I'll get the ball down the lane, but it will jump too hard when it gets to the end of the pattern. Still, I know that I should be able to go pretty straight with it to start with.

The other balls are more predictable, so it's just a matter of surfaces. The Vivid is very smooth and rolly for me not matter what, so I definitely think I can use that to burn off some energy and tame down flying backends as needed. If/when I need to start creeping left, the Forza GT gets down the lane cleaner and offers more pop off the spot without getting crazy. The Byte will be cleaner still as a pearl, but that ball tends to produce more of a hook/set motion, which should be enhanced by the fact that I'll keep some surface on it. As stated above, I'm hoping that Tropical Heat Hybrid (Black/purple) will be good once the spot has opened up and you can throw it to the friction. That ball is clean up front and strong down the lane.

In the end, I'll make the best guesses I can just like everyone else does. It comes down to shot-making as much as anything anyhow, so all I can do is try to give myself a chance with reasonable ball choices and then see what happens from there.

That is awesome to hear HankScorpio.  My lineup this year will be Sure Lock, IQ Tour, and Code Black as well.  I wanted to take my HyRoad Pearl, but don't know if I will be able to without additional cost.

Gene, have you checked out Fox to see if they're laying down the USBC shot? They have in years past. Don't know about now.

My big question is whether or not I'm putting my thumb in the ball or going no-thumb as I have all year. If I go with my thumb in, I'm probably looking at this lineup:

Haywire - pin down at 1000
Haywire - pin up at 4000
Phaze II - pin up at 2000 or 3000
Gamebreaker - pin down at 2000
Frantic - pin up at box
Plastic

vk1970,

Did you take anything else beside the 4 you mentioned - were those your only options, or, did something end up as dead weight in your bag?

vk1970,

Sorry to hear you struggled - did your team ever discuss working together or was it "every man for himself" right out of the gate?