Oakland, CA – Project 51O, Oakland Roots SC’s development team, and NorCal Premier Soccer have partnered to host the first round of the UPSL playoffs at the NorCal College Showcase on Saturday, November 23rd at 3 PM PT. Held at the Davis Legacy Soccer Complex and organized by NorCal Premier Soccer, the NorCal College Showcase is a high-profile event designed to showcase talent in front of college coaches. Held in the spring and fall seasons, it brings together U16-U19 teams across divisions such as the ECNL-RL, NPL, and others.

“The relationship between our club, especially our development side Project 51O, and NorCal Premier is one we are very proud of,” said Oakland Roots and Soul SC Technical Director Jordan Ferrell. “For Project 51O to be the feature game of the NorCal Showcase, an event that brings together many of the best coaches and players in Northern California, is something we are honored to be a part of.”

Project 51O Includes players who have come through many different NorCal Youth Clubs. Project 51O aims to identify and develop talent ages 14-19 from the 510 area code, the East Bay, and the greater NorCal region into players capable of stepping onto the field for Oakland Roots SC.

To date, Project 51O has developed multiple first-team players for Oakland Roots, including Ali Elmasnaouy, Ilya Alekseev, Thomas Camier, Etsgar Cruz, and Danny Gomez—all of whom played key roles in the Roots’ 2024 season, helping the team secure a spot in the USL Championship Playoffs. In just three full seasons, Project 51O has successfully moved over 20 players to the first team or other professional teams.

“With many players on the Project 51O side originating from NorCal Premier Clubs we’re excited to have such a great collection of NorCal youth talent playing at the NorCal College Showcase in a truly competitive game,” said NorCal NPL Commissioner Kelcey Chaidez. “Project 51O is an example of what our kids partaking in the showcase can strive to achieve in their soccer careers. Having them out there will only add to the multitude of different great soccer experiences that will take place this weekend in what’s expected to be a fun and competitive environment.”

The NorCal College Showcase is set for the weekends of November 16-17 and 23-24. Project 51O will play their first round UPSL Playoff match at 3 PM PT on Saturday November 23rd as part of one of the top college showcase events on the West Coast. Attended by hundreds of college coaches, the NorCal College Showcase has placed thousands of players in college programs nationwide. In addition to a high level of competition on the field, the NorCal College Showcase provides an ideal recruiting environment for college coaches.