3-Year-Old's Skill Sparked Police Call at Florida Soccer Match

Body camera footage released Monday shows Winter Park police officers responding to a youth soccer match where a 3-year-old boy was removed from play.

The incident occurred this past weekend at a public park in Florida. The parents of the child, identified as Martasia Griffin and Don Pierre, said their son, Nevada, was kicked out of the i9 Sports league because he was too good. The family reported that the league cost them nearly $300.

i9 Sports is a nationwide youth sports organization. An organizer for the league told responding officers that Nevada’s parents created a disturbance. The organizer noted that the boy was very advanced compared to the other children and was scoring many goals. However, the organizer claimed the boy was pushing the other kids. The organizer asked the officers to remove the family immediately so they could process a refund.

Griffin told the officers that the league was upset because Nevada actually played soccer. She stated that the organizers first claimed he was not passing the ball. She added that nobody was catching the ball when he did pass. The parents posted video of their son dribbling past other children and scoring several goals. In that footage, the boy looks confused as officers ask the family to leave the park. The video does not show physical contact between Nevada and other players.

Representatives for i9 Sports did not respond to requests for comment. Winter Park Police Department officials stated that they did not have the authority to cite the family for trespassing or force them to leave. The department posted a statement on its website saying the league offered a refund to the parents. The report noted that the family was cooperative and stated the game was over.

No one was arrested or forced to leave the park. An officer told another at the end of the interaction that he wanted to see the boy play. The officer added that he bet the child was good.