We’ve recently teamed up with Sonnet Insurance and Ontario Soccer to surprise some young soccer superstars (and their moms!) with a once-in-a-lifetime training session run by the pros. Watch as Alex Bono, Justin Morrow, Drew Moor and Liam Fraser share their top tips and tricks with a lucky group of players from the Oakville Soccer Club.

These young athletes are brought together to participate in a series of drills to help them elevate their game to the next level, learning vital skills and sharing the moment with their biggest fans… their parents!

Alex reveals the keys to creating a strong wall to defend against free kicks. He shares his tips on how to line up based on height, making it more challenging for the opposing team curl a strike around the wall.

Justin shares his tips on how to pull off the perfect stepover to beat a defender in 1v1 situations, unbalancing the opponent to open up the attack for a run down the wing.

No stranger to building out of the backline, Drew teaches the rookies one of the game’s most fundamental skills, the art of the chipped pass to move the ball out of the back and start the attacking phase.

Finally, Liam teaches the athletes a drill to emphasize the importance of one of the building blocks of the beautiful game, triangle pass, otherwise knowns as the give-and-go.

After a fun session on the pitch, our Reds answered a few questions about their own progression from youth leagues to MLS. The players look back on their careers and discuss how their parents played an important role in supporting them while they were striving towards a professional soccer career. They share some sentimental moments they’ve had with their parents on the sidelines, and even talk about their own kids and the type of soccer dads they hope to be.

To wrap things up, the players share some valuable advice for soccer parents whose kids are just starting out. To watch the video and read the full interview, head to the Sonnet Insurance blog!