Three-year-old Black boy gains international attention after dispute between parents and soccer league director
Nevada Pierre fell in love with soccer at one year old. His father, Don Pierre, continued to nurture that love. “Soccer is more than an activity for him. It is something that brings him joy and excitement and gives him a chance to learn and be part of a team,” Nevada’s mother, Martasia Griffin, said on a GoFundMe page launched to support the now-three-year-old’s soccer journey.
Dressed in his red, white and blue soccer outfit, the young, gifted Black soccer player watched from a distance as his parents spoke to police officers on Oct. 24.
“At just three years old, Nevada could not understand why he was being taken away from a game he loved. What should have been a happy childhood moment became heartbreaking and distressing for him and deeply painful for our family to witness,” Ms. Griffin said on the GoFundMe page, which at presstime had raised more than $66,000.
What started as an alleged dispute between the parents and a soccer league director, who is also Black, has ended with the preschooler becoming a viral sensation, touching the hearts of professional soccer players, celebrities and supporters around the world.
On Oct. 24, the i9 Sports soccer league director in Winter Park, Florida, called police to report an alleged disturbance involving Nevada’s parents during a youth soccer game, according to body camera footage released by the Winter Park Police Department.
The police department published a press release following the incident, which reads: “The Winter Park Police Department was contacted by a soccer league official who requested response to a disturbance between league officials and the parents of a player.
The league requested the family leave and offered to refund the league cost to family. Shortly after arrival, the officers were requested by the league official to communicate with the family as he did not want to further a disturbance. The family stated the game was over and they were leaving.
The family was cooperative with the officers and were provided with an event number for the incident at their request. The incident was a civil matter between those parties and not criminal. No one was arrested, trespassed, or forced to leave the park.”
To police, the soccer league director acknowledged Nevada’s skill, saying he’s “very advanced,” but he said the preschooler “pushes” other children to score goals. Online videos reviewed by The Final Call do not show Nevada pushing other children.
The league director also told police that Nevada’s parents had previously objected when he substituted their son to give other children an opportunity to play. After speaking to the parents, one of the police officers commented: “I want to see him play. I bet he’s good.” The other responded: “I know. He’s gotta be better than me.”
Nevada’s parents maintained that police were called because their son was too good at soccer. “They’re mad at my son because he actually plays soccer,” Ms. Griffin, Nevada’s mother, told the police.
“I signed my kid up for soccer, so they’re literally kicking him out of this place because he’s good at soccer.” She added: “First they said he’s not passing, but nobody is catching the ball when he’s passing.”
Nevada’s father, Don Pierre, who filmed the interaction, also weighed in. “They called the police on a three-year-old because he’s too good. They called the police on a three-year-old because he had the ball for too long, and nobody else could get the ball,” he said.
In a video of the Oct. 24 game, posted to the Instagram account @nevadaney10, other parents can be heard on the sidelines saying, “Pass it, pass it, pass it.” Another video posted after the incident shows Nevada successfully passing the ball to older players, with his father encouraging him, “Beautiful pass!”
In an emailed statement to The Final Call, a representative for i9 Sports said the company reviewed what happened and said the 911 call “was not related to the child.”
“The family asked for a refund. It was processed immediately, and confirmation was sent to the family on October 24. Following the incident, the league asked the adults involved not to continue as participants in the program,” the statement said.
But the parents’ removal from the program only highlighted Nevada’s gift on the field, which has been featured in videos posted to the Instagram account @nevadaney10. In the account’s first video, a two-year-old Nevada is shown scoring against a five-year-old.
Now, former U.S. men’s national soccer team player Eddie Johnson plans to train Nevada at his EJE7 Soccer Academy in Orlando, Florida. The incident also prompted Mr. Johnson to reflect on his own experiences in professional soccer. In one comment on Instagram, he shared how others attempt to diminish the gift God gives.
“This is sad and shouldn’t be tolerated at all in youth sports. Coaches and parents jealous bc this little Haitian kid is better than all their kids is crazy. Don’t worry nephew we gotta spot for you in the lab soon. A safe place where you can be you and enjoy the gift [God] has blessed you with,” he said.
Nevada’s father is reportedly Haitian, with roots in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
In an Oct. 27 post, Mr. Johnson shared that Nevada’s father brought his son to him a year ago, when he was two. He allowed Nevada to train but asked Mr. Pierre to let him develop further and then bring him back.
He further expressed that Nevada’s situation brought to light “a lot of the things that still exist in youth soccer in this country. Entitlement, Jealousy, Envy, Nepotism, Gatekeeping and profiling especially against people of color.”
Mr. Johnson also posted a video showcasing Nevada’s ability. He issued the following commands: “Right scissors, left scissors, push with your right, control with your right, push with your left, control with your left, push with your right, stop with your right.” Nevada listened and executed.
“It’s not even about control. It’s the comprehending,” Mr. Johnson said in the video. “I’m giving instructions and he’s being able to process it … with everything going on. That’s deep.” He described Nevada as a “star in the making.”
According to World Atlas, soccer, or fútbol (also known as association football), is the most popular sport in the world, with 3.5 billion fans. It is highly popular in Africa, Europe, Asia and Latin America.
Nevada has also gained the support of Roc Nation Sports, the sports division of Roc Nation, founded by rapper, businessman and record executive Jay-Z. The company posted on Instagram, “Nevada, you’re a shining star! We support you and your amazing talents. Keep being great.”
Loren LoRosa of The Breakfast Club reported on X that she was told Roc Nation Sports plans to send Nevada to Spain in December. She said Nevada’s family “has openly discussed moving to Spain previously because this is where he can really immerse himself into the sport.” Roc Nation has not independently confirmed the travel plans.
Brazilian soccer star Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior appeared in a video message addressed to Nevada, encouraging him to continue playing soccer despite criticism.
“Hello Nevada, Neymar speaking. I want to send you a hug,” he said, according to the video’s translated captions. “I’d like to continue to motivate you to keep playing football, no matter what the people say. If they say that you can’t do this or that, keep your head at ease. Because this is football. It’s joy.”
