Nyorera kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Ballard akaita kutanga kwake kwenyika neTeam USA pa2000 IIHF World U18 Championships muSwitzerland. Akashevedzwa kuchikwata ichi achitamba muNational Under-18 Development Program yemwaka wa1999 kusvika 2000. Akapa chibodzwa uye rubatsiro mumitambo mitanhatu, sezvo United States yakapedza panzvimbo yechisere. Makore maviri gare gare, Ballard akatumidzwa kunzvimbo yeU-20 ye2001 World Junior Championships
muCzech Republic. Akatamba mumitambo minomwe, achinyora chinangwa uye rubatsiro. United States yakarasikirwa mumakwikwi ekupedzisira kusvika kuRussia uye yakaenda kunzvimbo yechishanu mushure mekukunda Sweden 3<unk>2 mumutambo wekunyaradza.