Florida Soccer Parents Claim Child Was Banned for Being Too Good

Parents claim their three-year-old soccer player was removed from a game for being too good, but police say it was a civil dispute.

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Parents of a three-year-old soccer player in Florida claimed their child was banned from a game because he was too skilled, but police say the incident was a civil dispute between the league and the family. The situation unfolded at a youth soccer game in Winter Park, where the child, who scored multiple goals, was reportedly pushing other players, according to the i9 Sports league director, Thomas Hayes.

League Director Says Parents Were Disruptive

Hayes said he moved the young players around to give everyone a chance to play, but the parents were unhappy and created a scene. He described the parents as being aggressive and told them to leave the park. The incident was reported to the police, but it was considered a civil matter, not related to the child’s skill level.

Parents Claim Child Was Targeted for Being Good

Martasia Griffin, the boy’s mother, claimed that the parents were upset because her son was good at soccer and that they were trying to remove him from the game. However, an officer told her that the child was indeed good, but the issue was the aggressive behavior of the parents. The police did not trespass anyone and helped facilitate communication between the league and the parents regarding refunding registration costs.

GoFundMe Page Raised Over $35,000

Griffin has since created a GoFundMe page to support her son, stating that he was removed from the game due to concerns about his skill level. As of Tuesday afternoon, the page had raised over $35,000. However, police clarified that the call to law enforcement was not due to the child’s talent but rather the disruptive behavior of the parents.

Police Clarify No Trespassing or Criminal Charges

The Winter Park Police Department issued a social media post clarifying that the call was for assistance, not for trespassing or criminal charges. They emphasized that the situation was a civil matter between the league and the parents. Despite some social media rumors, there was never any suggestion that the call to police was prompted by the child’s on-field talent.