Whakaotihia te rerenga e whai ake nei: I timata a Ballard i tana whakataetae a-ao me te Team USA i te 2000 IIHF World U18 Championships i Switzerland. I whakaingoatia ia ki te kapa i a ia e purei ana i te National Under-18 Development Program mo te wa 1999-2000. I whakawhiwhia e ia he whaainga me te awhina i roto i nga keemu e ono, i te wa i mutu ai te United States i te tuawaru. E rua tau i muri mai, ka whakaingoatia a Ballard ki te kapa o raro i te 20 tau mō te
Ko te 2001 World Junior Championships i te Czech Republic. I takaro ia i nga keemu e whitu, e tuhi ana i te whaainga me te awhina. I hinga te United States i te hauwhā whakamutunga ki a Russia ka haere ki te tuarima i muri i te wikitoria i a Sweden 3<unk>2 i roto i te tukinga whakamarie.