Martasia, the mother of a 3-year-old Florida soccer player, says her son Nevada was left “thinking he did something wrong” after police were called to his youth league game last Saturday.
The Winter Park Police Department confirmed that two officers responded to the i9 Sports game at 10 a.m. After league director Thomas Hayes dialed 911. Hayes alleged in the call that “there is a parent here that’s really, really disruptive,” according to audio obtained by The Post. Hayes also claimed a parent was “following me around, calling me names in front of the whole bunch of people that are here. I want to be done.”
Police ultimately classified the incident as a “civil matter” and not “criminal,” and no arrests were made. No one was trespassed from the property either, the department noted in a news release.
The dispute centered on Nevada, a toddler who plays in a league against 5-year-olds and had been scoring multiple goals during the game. His father, Don, was captured in now-viral footage telling officers that police had been called because his son was “too good.” The video shows Nevada netting several goals before cutting to his parents in conversation with authorities.
Martasia said that she had approached a huddle of coaches, the league director and other parents to advocate for her son when she noticed them gathering. She claimed that once she began defending Nevada, “they just called the police.” The mother also asserted that her son had been targeted all season, and that she watched the group circle up at the start of Saturday’s game, “trying to figure out how to let us know that he can’t play so the other kids could play.”
The fallout has weighed heavily on the child. In her interview, Martasia said the whole incident has “really traumatized” him.
“He still wants to play soccer. He just doesn’t want to go back to that place. I don’t think that’s how he should be thinking, that as a 3-year-old he did something wrong,” she said.
The emotional toll has manifested in specific fears. “It’s heartbreaking because now Nevada’s saying he doesn’t wanna go over there. He’s scared that he did something wrong,” Martasia added.
I9 Sports has since launched a review of the incident and reached out to the family, according to the league. Martasia also confirmed that Nevada’s registration fees have been refunded.
The case has drawn broader attention to dynamics in youth sports, particularly around young athletes who excel beyond their age group and the conflicts that can arise between parents, coaches and league officials. The involvement of law enforcement in a dispute over a toddler’s participation has fueled online discussion about proportionality and the treatment of competitive children in recreational settings.
Nevada’s family has received public support from children’s entertainer Ms. Rachel, who became involved after the story gained traction online.