On October 24, 2026, Winter Park police responded to a youth soccer match at Martin Luther King Jr. Park after a league official reported a disturbance involving parents. The call sparked a viral controversy over whether a three-year-old child was asked to leave for his high skill level.
Videos posted by the family of three-year-old Nevada Pierre quickly circulated online over the weekend, showing the toddler dribbling past older opponents and scoring multiple goals in an i9 Sports league match in Winter Park, Florida. In the footage captured Saturday, Nevada’s parents cheer as he dominates play against children in a division for five-year-olds.
By Sunday, the clips had amassed millions of views across TikTok and Instagram.
Police Body Cameras and League Officials Report the Disturbance
Body-camera video released by the Winter Park Police Department tells a different story from the viral narrative that officers were summoned solely over a child’s athletic talent. When officers arrived at the park following a 911 call from a league official, they spoke with Thomas Hayes, one of the directors for the i9 Sports program.
The kid is very good… He’s great. Really good. He’s really advanced compared to the other ones. He’s scoring a lot of goals, but he’s pushing the kids and scoring.
Thomas Hayes, youth league director
Hayes told responding officers that he had instructed players not to push and noted that friction had occurred a few weeks prior when he rotated players off the field to give other participants a turn. According to the league official, Nevada’s parents took exception to these decisions and created a big scene, arguing with other parents
on the sidelines.
In the audio recording of the emergency call, Hayes told dispatchers that a parent was following him around and calling him names, prompting him to request that the family leave the premises immediately while offering a registration refund.
Nevada’s Family and Online Commentators Answer the Incident
Nevada’s parents, Don and Martasia, disputed the league’s characterization of events in their own conversations with police and reporters. In footage recorded at the scene, Don stated that authorities were called because their son had the ball for too long.
Martasia told CBS News that she and her husband always stood on the opposite side of the field from other spectators to avoid any disruption. She explained that tension arose after she noticed other parents huddling together on the pitch.
My son is already dressed. I cannot explain to my 3-year-old son that he cannot play today because he is so good.
Martasia, Nevada’s mother
The incident drew swift reactions from high-profile figures across social media. YouTuber, activist and children’s educator Ms. Rachel posted on Instagram condemning the situation and calling for athletic stars to support the toddler, writing that she was LIVID
and expressing that she’d love to have Nevada on her show to share his skills. Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III also weighed in on X, calling the punishment ridiculous.
The Winter Park Police Department has received numerous inquiries into a call that was received over the weekend and would like to provide the following information to the community.On October 24, Winter Park Police received a call for assistance. The caller was a youth sport's… pic.twitter.com/gHTB3sbhkn
Police Call Encounter a Civil Dispute
The Winter Park Police Department clarified in public statements that no arrests were made, no criminal trespass warnings were issued, and the family was never forced to leave the public park. Officers described the encounter as a civil dispute and assisted in facilitating communication regarding registration refunds.
The league administration released a formal statement addressing the public backlash following the weekend matches.
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.
i9 Sports, program administration
While the league subsequently offered Nevada a placement on a different team, his family indicated they plan to decline the offer. Meanwhile, former professional soccer player Eddie Johnson reached out to the family, and Nevada is scheduled to join an Orlando-based youth soccer training program in January.
More on Thomas Hayes
Keep reading
