Florida Youth League Calls Police on Family of 3-Year-Old; Officers Decline to Remove Them
Written by AI from espn.com's report. Not checked by a person.
A Florida i9 Sports organizer called police to a youth soccer game this past weekend to remove the family of three-year-old Nevada, whose parents say their son was kicked out of the league for being too skilled. Body camera footage released Monday shows officers declined to eject the family, stating they did not have the authority to do so.
An organizer for the nationwide youth sports organization i9 Sports called Winter Park, Florida police this past weekend to a game involving three-year-old Nevada, whose parents — Martasia Griffin and Don Pierre — say their son was pushed out of the league simply for outplaying the other children. The family posted video to social media showing Nevada dribbling past other players and scoring multiple goals; the footage does not show any physical contact between Nevada and other children.
In body camera footage released Monday, the organizer tells responding officers that Nevada is "very advanced compared to the other ones" and has been pushing other players, and asks police to remove the family immediately. "Just give me their names so I can give them their refund," the organizer told officers. Nevada's mother told officers the real reason was straightforward: "They're literally kicking him out of this place because he's good at soccer." The parents noted the league cost them nearly $300.
Officers declined to cite the family for trespassing or force them to leave, explaining to the organizer that they lacked the authority to do so. In a statement, the Winter Park Police Department confirmed the family was cooperative, that the league had offered a refund, and that no one was arrested, trespassed, or forced to leave the park. Representatives for i9 Sports did not respond to requests from ESPN for comment. As one officer remarked to another at the end of the interaction: "I kind of want to see him play. I bet he's good."
