A Florida youth soccer organizer called police over the weekend to remove the family of a 3-year-old boy, saying the child was pushing other players. Body camera footage of the police response, released Monday, shows the child's parents telling officers that their son was kicked out of the league because he is too good at soccer.
The parents, who have since publicly identified themselves as Martasia Griffin and Don Pierre, posted video on several social media channels showing their son, Nevada, dribbling past other children and scoring several goals. In the viral clip, Nevada looks on in confusion as Winter Park Police officers ask his family to leave the public park. The parents told officers the league cost them nearly $300.
In the footage, an organizer for the nationwide youth sports organization i9 Sports tells officers the boy's parents created a disturbance. "The kid is good. He's great. Really good," the organizer says. "But he's pushing the kids." The organizer added that the parents became argumentative when their son was benched and asked police for the family's names so they could issue a refund. The video posted by the parents does not depict physical contact between their son and other players. Representatives for i9 Sports did not respond to ESPN's request for comment.
Nevada's mother told officers the family was being pushed out because her son is advanced. "They're literally kicking him out of this place because he's good at soccer," she said. Officers did not cite the family for trespassing or eject them, saying they lacked the authority to do so. In a statement, the Winter Park Police Department said the league offered the parents a refund, the family left cooperatively, and no one was arrested. As one officer told another at the end of the interaction, "I kind of want to see him play. I bet he's good."
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing