COPA Talent ID Day: Boys High Performers
Objective Performance. Earned Invitations. National Attention.
At COPA, our approach towards development and talent identification integrates a truly objective method, backed by years of science and research and now through real opportunities on the field. The Winter Talent ID Day was a genuine showcase of talented players, who all earned their spot by excelling in The COPA Score.
Players begin by completing the COPA Score — a standardized, objective assessment measuring technical, physical, and cognitive performance, while integrating physical maturation and growth relative insights to uncover potential. Following the assessment, players receive access to their COPA Score Dashboard, where they review detailed breakdowns of their metrics, understand how they compare against peers, and benchmark themselves against different aspiring levels of play — whether that’s a European Academy, MLS Academies, NCAA programs, or professional teams.
The process doesn’t stop there. Players reassess every few months, using the COPA Score as a key asset in their development journey — tracking progress, identifying gaps, and building intentional improvement plans. For many, it becomes both an educational tool and a pathway to exposure.
This Talent ID Day was the next step in that journey.
The Talent ID Day was free to attend, and every player earned their invitation by meeting objective performance benchmarks through their COPA Score. Additional insights were leveraged thanks to our skeletal age testing to ensure high potential late developing players, relative to their chronological age, were also given the platform to showcase. No club affiliations were considered. No reputations influenced selection. Invitations were issued anonymously based on their COPA Score results.
That objective process led to a compelling response. 120 Boys across 3 age groups got the chance to play live in front of more than 25 scouts across US Youth National Team, MLS Academies, NorCal PDP, NCAA D1 & D2 and European International Academies. Attending were provided detailed insights on each player, and combined true objective data from The COPA Score with live gameplay to deepen their analysis and support their scouting efforts for potential players. Multiple other organizations have requested the attending player’s COPA Score data and the game footage.
And the journey continues.
The next COPA Talent ID Day is already scheduled for July 22nd, 2026, and we expect thousands of players to assess between now and then, all eager to accelerate development with measurable objective insights and to unlock their next opportunity. Scouts have already committed, and interest continues to grow.
COPA STC Announces Summer Talent ID Day — July 22nd, 2026
If you’re wondering how to earn an invite, the pathway is simple:
- Complete a COPA Score at COPA STC by July 2nd (register early as the schedule fills up!)
- Review your results in your COPA Score dashboard and benchmark your performance.
- Excel relative to your age grouping for the event — and invitations follow.
As we saw again yesterday, this model creates space not only for early standouts, but for late developers as well — players whose technical ability and long-term upside are strong, even if their growth and maturation timeline is still catching up. In the U13 group at this event for example, the average attending player’s skeletal age was -0.5 years behind their chronological age, with many players -1 to -2 years behind. This approach ensures these high-potential players get real opportunities.
Below are the standout performers across the U18, U15, and U13 groups who translated strong COPA Score profiles into impactful match play.
U18 Boys – High Performers
Zachary Gourlay (2010 | 2028)
COPA Score: 71
De Anza Force | Goalkeeper
Out of the 34 U18 goalkeepers who have taken The COPA Score since July 2025, Zachary currently holds the top-performing profile in his age group — which earned him his invite.
His technical and physical metrics are among the strongest recorded, and he translated that into multiple fingertip saves in high-pressure one-on-one situations. Reactive, athletic, and composed with his feet, he also initiated build-up play confidently. With room still to grow physically, Zachary is a goalkeeper whose trajectory remains upward.
Cayden Baker (2009 | 2027)
COPA Score: 89
Sacramento Republic | Attacker
After performing well at last Summer’s Talent ID Day Cayden was signed by Sacramento Republic and has continued to go from strength to strength. One of the top overall scores recorded in the U18 group since July, Cayden’s 89 COPA Score is supported by strong physical, technical, and cognitive metrics.
He backed that up on the field — scoring, linking play intelligently, and accelerating attacking transitions.
Jose Hernandez (2008 | 2026)
COPA Score: 87
Bay Area Surf / San Jose Earthquakes | Attacker
Jose’s profile reflects elite technical ability paired with strong physical indicators. His ball control, processing speed, and spatial awareness were clearly visible during play as he continue to be direct on his dribbles, unbalancing the defending team.
Still developing physically, he combines creativity and composure in attacking moments. His ability to process the environment quickly — something reinforced in his COPA Score — stood out throughout the event.
Gonzalo Bonaldi (2009 | 2027)
COPA Score: 85
Bay Area Surf | Center Defender
Gonzalo’s physical profile makes him intriguing across multiple levels of the game, but his technical proficiency — particularly in the Cube Rating — ranked among the strongest of the hundreds of U18 players tested since July. This combination was well discussed amongst the attending scouts.
At 6’3”, he pairs size with composure. Confident carrying into midfield, disciplined defensively, and calm under pressure, he blends presence with skill. Developing in a senior environment for the next years could push his game to the next level and be a real prospect for NCAA D1 or beyond.
Naim Rojo (2010)
COPA Score: 77
Napa United | Winger
Naim’s speed metrics are among his standout traits, and they showed clearly in match play. Aggressive in attack, strong on the ball and confident on the dribble, he scored one of the goals of the day with a composed top-corner finish after a 40 yard dribble inside. Check the highlight reel!
His pace and deception was a constant threat, and follows a collection of standout Napa United players.
U15 Boys – High Performers
Cristiano Awad (2011 | 2029)
COPA Score: 80
Mustang SC | Attacker
Cristiano holds a top COPA Scores relative to the U15 group since July, driven by strong technical metrics and high stress tolerance scores. Scouts noted both on the day as they combined data and live play.
He validated that profile with sharp attacking runs, intelligent positioning, and composed finishing. His movement in transition and confidence in tight spaces created consistent problems for defenders.
Carson Chen (2012 | 2030)
COPA Score: 86
Mustang SC | Attacker
Carson’s 86 COPA Score reflects elite technical proficiency and strong physical output, particularly in top-end speed. A local standout who seems to be going from strength to strength, and will experience significant physical growth in the near future.
Having recently been in youth national team environments, he combines experience with measurable performance. As he continues to physically mature, his attacking influence becomes even more impactful — dangerous in breakaways and confident linking play. He showed a selfishness that elite strikers need, and this was well observed by the attending scouts.
Brayden Shen (2011 | 2029)
COPA Score: 77
Bay Area Surf | Winger
Brayden’s profile is built on impressive physical and technical metrics — including some of the strongest physical outputs recorded in this age group since July, amongst 350+ players in this age group.
With significant vertical growth still ahead, his athletic foundation provides meaningful runway. Explosive and direct, he continues to trend positively. Most interestingly, which can’t be objectively measured, Brayden showcases a sense of confidence on the ball that really unbalance defenses. He has a collection of moves in his library that helped him be dangerous throughout.
Leo Mancini (2011 | 2030)
COPA Score: 84
Davis Legacy | Midfielder
Leo’s 84 COPA Score is backed by elite physical, technical, and cognitive metrics. An all round high performer.
Physically commanding yet technically clean, he controlled phases of play in midfield and demonstrated strong decision-making. Developing within a high-quality Davis Legacy environment, his progression remains steady and impressive.
Alejandro Ventura Martinez (2013)
COPA Score: 65
Stanislaus SC | Defender
One of the youngest players invited to compete in the U15 group, Alejandro earned that opportunity through his overall profile.
Comfortable on the ball and physically competitive, he handled the challenge of playing up with composure. With substantial growth ahead, his potential in central defensive or midfield roles remains intriguing.
U13 Boys – High Performers
Hader Minto (2013)
COPA Score: 64
No Current Club | Attacker
Hader’s technical metrics rank among the top recorded for U13 players since July 2025 — placing him among the strongest profiles in a group of 400+ tested.
With significant physical growth still ahead, he played with confidence and creativity. Shifty in tight spaces and eager to attack defenders, he translated his technical profile into visible match impact.
Jax McElroy (2014)
COPA Score: 53
Cal Odyssey SC
A later developer physically, Jax’s trajectory suggests meaningful upside. At just a 2014 birth year, he demonstrated versatility and intelligence across multiple roles. As his physical growth begins to align with his technical base, his future remains bright.
Lewis Phithaksounthone (2013)
COPA Score: 53
Silicon Valley SA
Lewis scored strongly across technical metrics in his COPA Score — ranking among the top U13 performers assessed since July.
Another late developer, he showed composure under pressure, confidence in combination play, and creativity on the dribble. His long-term upside is significant as his technical foundation will serve him at higher levels of play.
Benjamin Hayes (2013)
COPA Score: 66
Atlético Santa Rosa | Winger
Benjamin’s well-rounded profile includes strong overall metrics and a particularly impressive stress tolerance score.
On the day, he looked comfortable attacking from wide areas, taking defenders on, cutting inside, and combining effectively. His resilience and composure under pressure stand out.
Murad Taghizade (2013)
COPA Score: 69
Woodside Crush SC | Defender
One of the top overall COPA Scores in the U13 group, Murad’s profile is supported by high stress tolerance and balanced metrics across domains.
A defender who enjoys building from the back, he pairs strength in duels with confidence in possession. His development over the next few years will be exciting to monitor and we see him well able to play in multiple positions.
Closing Reflection
The COPA Talent ID Day is all about progress and opportunity, through an objective approach.
Players assess. They review. They plan, work hard and improve with their objective benchmarks in mind. Re-assessing every 4 months provides clarity, and motivation when effort is acknowledged through objective progress. And when their performance places them among the top in their age group, invitations to real showcases like this follow.
As we prepare for upcoming Talent ID Days, we expect this pathway to continue expanding — more players assessing, more late developers emerging, more scouts engaging.
The model is simple: remove bias, measure performance, and create opportunity.
And when that process stays consistent, more players — from more communities — will continue to be seen.