Most 3-year-olds are still figuring out which goal is theirs. Nevada apparently figured it out, and now his name is all over the internet.
The Florida toddler is at the center of a viral fight after his parents say police were called to his youth soccer game in Winter Park, and that he was then kicked out of the league for being "too good." The Independent reported the story first.
The Parents' Version
In an Instagram post, Nevada's parents shared a montage of their son dribbling around other kids and scoring goals. Police officers also appear in the clip, according to The Independent.
"They called the police on the 3-year-old 'cause he's too good... had the ball for too long and nobody else could get the ball," Nevada's father can be heard saying.
The Coach's Version
Winter Park police bodycam footage tells a messier story. In it, the coach praises the kid but says he has an issue with the pushing.
He tells officers that Nevada is "very advanced" and "scores a lot of goals, but he's pushing the other kids…so I try to tell him, play without pushing, right?" according to The Independent.
He also says Nevada's parents "tell me I'm ignorant... blah blah blah" and adding that they made "a big scene." His bottom line: "I just want them out. Immediately."
When officers spoke with the family, Nevada's mother pushed back. "They're mad at my son because he actually plays soccer," she says in the footage. "They're literally kicking him out of this place because he's good at soccer."
Officers told the family they believed the coach thought they "were causing a disturbance that was interfering with the gameplay." One added that the coach "specifically mentioned that your son is very good, but he doesn't like how the parents become aggressive."
Here's how a local station packaged the footage:
https://twitter.com/CBS12/status/2115072363259711844
What Police Say
According to The Independent, a Winter Park police incident report says the league official asked officers to "communicate with the family as he did not want to further a disturbance." Police said the family was cooperative, said the game was over and left. No arrests were made.
The family agreed to leave the park and pulled Nevada from the league. In a lighter moment, one officer can be heard saying, "I kinda want to see him play. I bet he's good."
The League Responds
In a statement to WESH, the youth sports program said it is "aware of concerns being shared regarding an incident at a local i9 Sports program" and takes them "very seriously." It said it has reached out to the family and started a review, adding, "we will not speculate or share unverified information."
Big Names Weigh In
The story has gone well beyond Winter Park. Robert Griffin III wrote on Instagram, "Punishing a 3 year old child for being too good at a sport is RIDICULOUS." Ms. Rachel posted, "I'm LIVID! Please sports people give him all the experiences and love," and invited Nevada onto her show, according to The Independent.
His parents have started a GoFundMe so he can keep playing. They wrote that soccer "brings him joy and excitement and gives him a chance to learn and be part of a team." The Independent reported it had raised more than $23,000 as of Tuesday morning.
Whatever happened on that field, one thing seems settled: the kid can play.
Photo: Peter Glaser / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
