The Ballard High School soccer team got a pep talk at Wednesday’s practice from one of the Seattle Sounders.

Taylor Graham, a defender for Seattle’s MLS team, talked to the boys soccer team about the sport, nutrition and education. Graham encouraged the kids to be clean with their technique and to learn to handle the ball with their left foot (or right foot for those lefties), which are skills that most professional athletes have mastered.

Graham is a 29-year-old Stanford grad who was out most of last season after breaking his foot three times. He was a walk-on in college and red-shirted his freshman year. By his senior year he was named All Pac-10 first team and earned a partial scholarship. When asked what’s next for him he said he didn’t know, but he was comforted knowing he already had an education.

Graham’s visit is part of the Symetra Active Bodies Active Minds program. He will be visiting Whitman Middle School on Friday at 1 p.m.