Ballard was born Rochelle Gordines in Montebello, CA. on February 13, 1971. Her parents moved to the island of Kauai in Hawaii when she was six months old. The waves in Kauai are considered as some of the best in world and with the encouragement of four-time World Champion and Kauai resident Margo Oberg, she started surfing at 12 years old. Oberg had been a top surfing professional for more than three decades and was a mentor to Rochelle when she was first learning to surf the massive and dangerous waves that seasonally come to Kauai's north shore.