Name: Jake Fillip Gershon
Team: B02/03 NL Black
Number of Years at Copa: 3
HS: Colts Neck High School
HS Honors: All State, All County, All Area, State Championship, Honor Roll
Coaches at Copa: Coach Billy Englishby, Coach Lori Berman, Coach Roberto Aguas
College Attending: The College of New Jersey
Conference: NJAC
Anticipated Major: Interdisciplinary business
Quote about a specific coach: FC Copa Academy and their coaches have helped me become the most confident, creative, and technical player I am today.
What are your most memorable moments or experiences at FC Copa Academy?
One moment was the last game at nationals and the final moments of the PK shootout we had. I crossed the ball in with 3 minutes left remaining in the game and we scored to tie the game 1-1. We ended up going into a PK shootout and I remember all of us coming together and just embracing the moments leading up to the shootout.
Another moment is when my team won the Potomac tournament. We played in the highest bracket of the tournament and I scored a penalty kick to tie the game with 7-8 minutes remaining. We ended up scoring again in the last 2 minutes of the game and I remember when the last whistle blew, our whole team was hugging each other and so excited that we won. It was a moment I will never forget.
How did FC Copa Academy help you become the player you are today?
The FC Copa players and coaches pushed me through every training session and game. The staff and the players taught me how to look at the game in a different perspective. On top of that, FC Copa developed my technical skills and my creativity within the final third to become more dangerous in the final third.
How did FC Copa Academy help you get into the college program you will be attending? Coach Roberto and Coach Lori pushed for me on all of the phone calls they made to coaches and they stuck by my side through the whole process. I cannot thank them enough for what they did for me. They also went over how to write emails to coaches and how to talk to them on phone calls and I used all of their methods when communicating with college coaches.
What are your thoughts and experiences on the collegiate recruitment process with FC Copa Academy? The college recruitment process is a grind. You have to push for yourself and be confident when speaking to college coaches. You have to put yourself out there and get out everything you want to say. I would say that one good tip is to be personable and also to be a good listener when it comes to feedback and recruitment. It takes a while with calls and emails and I just kept telling myself that I will end up in the place that I need to be. From ID Camps to playing in front of coaches, the experience for me was crazy especially with COVID-19 but I stayed on top of everything and played great when I needed to..
What advice would you give to future FC Copa Academy athletes going through the collegiate recruitment process?
The collegiate recruitment process is a grind. You just have to stick with it and really want it. Create personal emails with coaches. Say something that makes you stand out from the rest. On phone calls, be personable but respectful of the coach you are speaking to.
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