Winter Park police called after 3-year-old scores too many goals

Three goals. That is how many times a 3-year-old boy, identified only as Nevada, scored during a recreational soccer match in Winter Park, Florida, before police arrived on the field. The incident occurred after league officials contacted the Winter Park Police Department regarding a disturbance between coaches and the child's parents.

The coach told responding officers that Nevada was significantly advanced for his age group. He stated that the boy pushed other players while dribbling. The coach said he rotated the players to ensure everyone got equal time on the field. He removed Nevada from the game because he was outperforming the other five children on the team.

The parents disputed the coach's account. Nevada's mother told officers that the league was upset because her son actually played soccer. She said she signed him up for the activity, but the league was removing him because he was good at it. The father stood near the field and said, “They called police on a 3-year-old ‘cause he’s too good.”

Winter Park police released body camera video showing the interaction. Officers spoke with the coach, who described the parents as causing a disturbance. One officer explained to the family that the league official believed the parents were interfering with gameplay. The officer noted that the coach specifically mentioned the son was very good, but did not like how the parents became aggressive. The family agreed to leave the park with their son.

A police event report described the parents as cooperative with the league personnel's request to leave. The report noted that the parents were upset that their child was being scorned for playing too well. The report stated the parents left the field without issue. The incident was classified as a civil matter, not a criminal one. No one was arrested, trespassed, or forced to leave the park.

The Winter Park Police Department issued a news release stating they were contacted by a soccer league official. The league requested a response to a disturbance between officials and the player's parents. The league asked the family to leave and offered a refund for the league cost. Officers spoke with the family at the request of the league official to prevent the disturbance from escalating. The family stated the game was over and they were leaving. They were provided with an event number for the incident at their request.

At the end of the body camera footage, one officer was heard laughing. The officer said, “I kinda want to see him play. I bet he’s good.”

The parents posted a video of the incident on Instagram. The clip showed Nevada dribbling the ball and scoring goals. It also showed police officers on the field. The video received thousands of comments from users. One user asked, “Why would police waste their time responding to this?” Another user wrote, “This level of ridiculousness shouldn’t have happened to him, however his future looks very bright since he’s obviously a born champion.”

The parents later claimed that Nevada was kicked out of the i9 Sports league for the same reason. The league officials maintained that the family was causing a disturbance. The police department confirmed that the body worn cameras match the details in the news release. The incident took place at a park in Winter Park. The family departed the scene after speaking with the two officers present.