Jim Ballard
Encyclopedia
James "Jim" Ballard is a former Arena Football League quarterback
for the Buffalo Destroyers in 2001 and the Indiana Firebirds
in 2002 and 2003. Ballard also played in the Canadian Football League
with the Toronto Argonauts
in 2002 and 1999 and the Saskatchewan Roughriders
in 2000. Ballard's first experience with pro-football came in NFL Europe
with the London Monarchs
in 1995 and the Scottish Claymores
in 1996 with whom he won the World Bowl IV
Championship. Ballard would later re-join the Claymores in 1998. He also was a backup in the National Football League
for the Cincinnati Bengals
in 1994 and for the Buffalo Bills
in 1997 and 1998, although he did not play a down in the regular season in the NFL.
As a coach
, Ballard has experience at Mount Union College
as QB coach in 1994-95, Alliance High School as QB coach in 1996 and 1998, Cuyahoga Falls High School
as QB coach in 2001-04, and Assistant Head Coach
of the Canton Legends
of the American Indoor Football Association in 2005.
Recently, Ballard was named as the commissioner of the Continental Indoor Football League.
Ballard was an All-America
n at Mount Union College
. In 2008 he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
.
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Buffalo Destroyers in 2001 and the Indiana Firebirds
Indiana Firebirds
The Indiana Firebirds were a team in the Arena Football League.The team was based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Home games were played at the Conseco Fieldhouse, also the home of the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball...
in 2002 and 2003. Ballard also played in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
with the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
in 2002 and 1999 and the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
in 2000. Ballard's first experience with pro-football came in NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
with the London Monarchs
London Monarchs
The London Monarchs were a professional American football team in NFL Europe and its predecessor league, the World League of American Football . The Monarchs played their final season in 1998 as the England Monarchs...
in 1995 and the Scottish Claymores
Scottish Claymores
The Scottish Claymores were an American football team from Scotland. The franchise played in the World League of American Football between 1995 and 2004, initially playing all home games at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh and latterly sharing home games with Hampden Park, Glasgow...
in 1996 with whom he won the World Bowl IV
World Bowl IV
World Bowl '96 , the championship game of American football's WLAF, took place at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland on June 23, 1996. The 7-3 Scottish Claymores defeated the 7-3 Frankfurt Galaxy 32-27 and, led by head coach Jim Criner, completed the league's first ever worst to first...
Championship. Ballard would later re-join the Claymores in 1998. He also was a backup in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
in 1994 and for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1997 and 1998, although he did not play a down in the regular season in the NFL.
As a coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
, Ballard has experience at Mount Union College
Mount Union College
The University of Mount Union is a 4-year private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Alliance, Ohio.Mount Union enrolls 2200 undergraduates. Approximately 50 percent are women and 50 percent are men, representing more than 22 states and 13 countries. Mount Union has an active alumni base of...
as QB coach in 1994-95, Alliance High School as QB coach in 1996 and 1998, Cuyahoga Falls High School
Cuyahoga Falls High School
Cuyahoga Falls High School is a public high school in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, United States. It is the only high school in the Cuyahoga Falls City School District. It has a current enrollment of around 1,663 students in grades 9-12...
as QB coach in 2001-04, and Assistant Head Coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the Canton Legends
Canton Legends
The Canton Legends was a professional indoor football team based out of Canton, Ohio. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association, which played their first season under the name Atlantic Indoor Football League, and their second season as the American Indoor Football...
of the American Indoor Football Association in 2005.
Recently, Ballard was named as the commissioner of the Continental Indoor Football League.
Ballard was an All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n at Mount Union College
Mount Union College
The University of Mount Union is a 4-year private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Alliance, Ohio.Mount Union enrolls 2200 undergraduates. Approximately 50 percent are women and 50 percent are men, representing more than 22 states and 13 countries. Mount Union has an active alumni base of...
. In 2008 he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
.