“Literally, it’s like a former great player, reincarnated into his body,” former U.S. men’s national team striker Eddie Johnson told CBS News of 3-year-old Nevada Pierre. Police responded to a youth soccer game in Winter Park, Florida, last month after the i9 league’s athletic director called 911 during a dispute over Pierre, who plays against children up to two years older and dominates on the field.
Body camera footage released by Winter Park police shows the athletic director telling officers he decided to call 911 after Pierre’s mother, Martasia Griffin, began livestreaming their interaction on social media, ABC News reported. In the 911 audio, the director describes Griffin as a “really disruptive” parent who was “following me around and calling me names.”
The 911 Call and the League’s Equal-Playing-Time Policy
The i9 Sports Experience, which runs the league, states on its website that it is committed to giving children “equal playing time regardless of talent level,” according to ABC News. The league’s sportsmanship values include “being a team player” and “inclusion.” On the body camera video, the athletic director said Pierre was “really advanced compared to the other ones,” scoring frequently and pushing other players, and that he had told the children not to push while playing.
Griffin told ABC News she was standing up for her son after learning he would be benched to give other children playing time, a decision she said had sidelined him multiple times in previous games. “I was only walking behind him because he said that he’s the director,” she said. “So I’m trying to figure out what are you gonna do? Like my son should play.”
Griffin Says the Family Arrived Late to Help Other Children
Griffin told CBS News that she and Pierre’s father, Don, regularly arrived at games after they had started to give other children opportunities. “We showed up late all the time so we could give other kids chances on purpose, because I didn’t want Nevada to feel left out,” she said. “They kept taking him out like he’s a professional soccer player because other kids need a chance.”
She said the family was excluded from a meeting on the field that stopped the game after Pierre scored a fast goal. “He made the one goal that was so fast and they stopped the game and parents, director, coaches all got in one circle without me and his father,” Griffin told CBS News. “So when I approached him about like, if this conversation is about my son, are you all stopping the game about my son, I should be included.”
Griffin said she does not believe race played a role in the 911 call or the director’s actions, noting the director is Black. “I won’t pull the race card,” she told CBS News. “I wouldn’t say it’s too much about race. It’s jealousy. And it’s nothing that I was going to stop Nevada from doing. I wouldn’t dim his light.”
Martasia Griffin, the mother of 3-year-old #NevadaPierre, is defending her son after a dispute at a Florida youth soccer game led to police being called and his removal from the league.https://t.co/GiB4YPf76Z
Eddie Johnson Offers Full Scholarship at EJE7 Academy
Following the viral incident, Johnson invited Pierre to train at his EJE7 Soccer Academy in Orlando on a full scholarship. Johnson compared the 3-year-old to Pelé, Neymar and Ronaldinho, telling CBS News, “He shouldn’t be dribbling or running with the ball with that type of control and that type of coordination at that age.”
Griffin told CBS News she handles most of Pierre’s business inquiries and email. She has a meeting scheduled with Roc Nation, the management company founded by Jay-Z, and the group is sending Pierre on a training trip to Spain next month. The family has received support from social media personalities including YouTube star Ms. Rachel.
Nevada Pierre, a 3-year-old Black toddler with a Black American mother, Martasia Griffin, and a Black Haitian father, Don Pierre, has gained international attention after a dispute at a youth soccer game in Winter Park, Florida, led to police being called. According to his… pic.twitter.com/PT6o9qdtfA
i9 League Launches Review of the Incident
In a statement to ABC News, the i9 sports program said it is “aware of concerns” regarding the incident and “take them very seriously.” “The respectful treatment and well-being of every child and family matter deeply to us,” the statement said. “We have reached out to the family and have begun a review that includes speaking with those involved.”
Griffin told ABC News that Pierre was scared when he saw the police and that the experience damaged his spirit. “At some point, Nevada’s feelings has to … matter too,” she said. “Everybody’s worrying about their kids’ feelings. Their kid want playing time. Their kid want to kick the ball. My kid do too. He don’t know why he’s sitting down.”
Griffin told CBS News the family does not plan to take legal action against the league. “Nevada is a soccer player,” she said. “He’s more than a little boy that got the police called on him.”
Questions About the Nevada Pierre Incident
In the audio released by Winter Park police, the i9 athletic director told the dispatcher there was a “really disruptive” parent “following me around and calling me names,” and asked for officers to respond quickly, ABC News reported.
What are the i9 league’s rules on playing time? The i9 Sports Experience website states the league focuses on fun and provides “equal playing time regardless of talent level,” with sportsmanship values including “being a team player” and “inclusion,” according to ABC News.
Griffin told ABC News that Pierre “was scared as if he did something wrong” when he saw the officers, and that the experience damaged his spirit.
“He’ll become the youngest professional soccer player — break the world record,” Griffin added.
More on Nevada Pierre
⚽ GoFundMe Raises $10,036 for 3-Year-Old Boy After Police Were Reportedly Called on Him During Soccer Game A GoFundMe campaign by Martasia Griffin and supporters has raised $10,036 for her three-year-old son, Nevada Pierre. Griffin describes Nevada as a bright, passionate… https://t.co/6ERnmHcLdn pic.twitter.com/WMw3XnKlAX
INCASE YOU MISSED NEVADA STORY 📌 A youth soccer game in Winter Park, Florida on October 24 has sparked a nationwide conversation after 3-year-old Black player Nevada Pierre was removed from his league. According to his parents, Martasia Griffin and Don Pierre, Nevada's… https://t.co/BE1V6jobok pic.twitter.com/iS39HH87AY