A mother has spoken out after alleging that her three-year-old son was removed from a youth soccer match because he was considered too talented compared with the other children participating.
Nevada Pierre became the focus of a disagreement involving his parents and sports league officials during a match at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Winter Park, Florida, on Saturday, October 24.
The confrontation attracted widespread attention after police body camera footage circulated online, showing officers responding to the disagreement at the sports facility.
Nevada’s mother, Martasia Griffin, has now addressed the controversy, claiming her son experienced something no young child should have to endure while participating in the i9 Sports program.
According to Griffin, officials removed Nevada from the game after raising concerns about his advanced playing abilities. She said the disagreement subsequently escalated, ultimately leading to police involvement.
“Nevada could not understand why he was being taken away from a game he loved,” Griffin explained. “What should have been a happy childhood moment became heartbreaking and distressing for him and deeply painful for our family to witness.”
Her remarks appeared on a public GoFundMe campaign, which has raised more than $20,000 to support Nevada’s continued involvement in soccer.
“As his mother, it has been incredibly hard to see the emotional impact this has had on him,” Griffin continued.
“We believe every child, regardless of abilities, background, or potential, deserves the chance to learn, grow, and enjoy the game they love in a safe and supportive environment.”
The incident initially gained attention over the weekend when Nevada’s parents uploaded a video showing officers approaching them near the sidelines following the match.
“Nevada was escorted out by the police for being the best three-year-old in the world today,” the family wrote alongside the recording.
They further alleged that authorities had been contacted because their son was “too good” and “had the ball for too long and nobody else can get the ball, so they called the police on him.”
Nevada’s parents also maintained that the league excluded him because of his exceptional skills. However, conflicting accounts suggested the disagreement may have involved the family’s decision to record his matches and livestream them on TikTok.
Police reveal new details of incident
Following the video’s widespread circulation, the Winter Park Police Department (WPPD) provided additional information about the encounter, explaining that officers had responded to a dispute between a soccer league official and Nevada’s parents.
According to the department, league representatives had asked the family to leave the program and offered to refund their participation fees.
When officers arrived, a league representative requested that they “communicate with the family” because “he did not want to further a disturbance.” The interaction was documented in body camera footage subsequently released by authorities.
In the recording, the league official acknowledged Nevada’s abilities but also raised concerns about his conduct during games.
“He’s very advanced compared to the other ones. So, he’s scoring a lot of goals, but he’s pushing the kids and doing all that stuff, so I try to tell him, ‘Hey, stop. Don’t… push. We want to play without pushing, right?’” the official explained.
The representative went on to say that he had previously rotated players to ensure all the children received opportunities to participate. He alleged that Nevada’s parents disagreed with those decisions, contributing to the dispute.
Police emphasized that the family “was cooperative with the officers” and confirmed that the incident was handled as a “civil matter,” with no criminal charges or arrests.
In its official account of the encounter, WPPD stated:
“The Winter Park Police Department was contacted by a soccer league official who requested response to a disturbance between league officials and the parents of a player.
“The league requested the family leave and offered to refund the league cost to family. Shortly after arrival, the officers were requested by the league official to communicate with the family as he did not want to further a disturbance.
“The family stated the game was over and they were leaving. The family was cooperative with the officers and were provided with an event number for the incident at their request. The incident was a civil matter between those parties and not criminal. No one was arrested, trespassed, or forced to leave the park. The Officers body worn cameras confirm the above information.”
The department’s explanation therefore differed from the family’s initial suggestion that Nevada had been forcibly escorted away by police.
Sports league issues statement
Meanwhile, i9 Sports has responded to the controversy, confirming that it is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the disagreement.
Katherine LeBlanc, speaking on behalf of the organization, told LADbible that representatives had reached out to Nevada’s family and were treating the concerns “seriously.”
In its statement, i9 Sports said:
“We are aware of concerns being shared regarding an incident at a local i9 Sports program, and we take them very seriously.
“The respectful treatment and well-being of every child and family matter deeply to us. We have reached out to the family and have begun a review that includes speaking with those involved.
“While we work to understand the circumstances, we will not speculate or share unverified information. We appreciate everyone who has brought their concerns to our attention.”
