Ballard vows to work hard again

By Gary Bedore     Nov 7, 2001

Not everybody would respond, when asked to name his or her favorite vacation spot, with Hutchinson.

Sure, the Salt City has the Cosmosphere and the salt mines (although you can’t visit them) and one of the longest grain elevators in the world.

But Hutch isn’t exactly Maui or Grand Cayman or Disneyland.

Still, Kansas University senior guard Brett Ballard listed Hutchinson as his favorite vacation spot in the KU men’s basketball media guide.

“That was kind of a joke,” Ballard said, “but it’s also the truth.”

Ballard’s hometown is Hutchinson. He grew up there, played high school ball for the Salt Hawks and junior college ball for Hutchinson CC.

So his first year at Kansas University last year was also his first year away from home and he isn’t ashamed to admit he misses his friends and family.

Consequently, when Ballard visits Hutchinson, it’s like a vacation to him.

“Hutch is my favorite,” he said.

Ballard came to Kansas as a favored walk-on. Coach Roy Williams said Ballard would have an opportunity to earn a scholarship and he was awarded a grant for the spring semester.

Ballard began the 2000-2001 season as all walk-ons do. He worked hard in practice and, if the Jayhawks posted a big lead in a game, he might have a chance to play in the last minute or two.

That’s the way it was until attrition struck the KU backcourt and Ballard went from mop-up man to first guard off the bench. His overall statistics are deceptive. For instance, he averaged 6.4 minutes a game, but he averaged nearly twice as many minutes during the Big 12 Conference and NCAA tournaments.

Now with an influx of freshman backcourt performers, Ballard could go back to his old mop-up role.

“We have a lot of talent coming in,” Ballard confirmed. “There’s a lot of competition, but I look at it as a good thing. I’ll just do what I did last year and work hard.”

Ballard proved last season he was able to hold his own against quality competition. Occasionally, he also popped in a three-point goal.

Now he just has to wait and see if his backcourt back-up job will be usurped by a new face.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to play, but coach will play who he wants to play and I’ll respect that,” Ballard remarked. “I got a taste last year, and I’d like more this year.”

If he doesn’t, that’s OK, he stressed.

“Basically, when I came here I figured to help the team in practice, then play when we were beating teams by 30,” Ballard said. “I wouldn’t have minded not playing because I want to coach some day.”

Ballard’s father Larry was an eighth grade and sophomore coach in Hutchinson. That’s hardly high profile, but Ballard says, “I know he really enjoyed it.”

Because the Ballards lived right across the street from Hutchinson’s Liberty Junior High, Brett would often head over to the gym and shoot hoops.

Although listed as a senior, Ballard won’t be one of the Jayhawks who don a mortarboard and gown next spring. He’s in the School of Education which has a five-year curriculum. Next year Ballard will be doing student teaching.

Perhaps even in Hutchinson, vacation capital of Kansas.

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