Youth Soccer Player Sidelined For Hair Beads During Bucks County Game: Reports

PERKASIE, PA — A Kensington sixth-grader was ejected from a soccer game in Perkasie last week when the referee said her hair beads posed a danger to other players, according to multiple reports.

Eleven-year-old Hasiyanah Shannon Wilson, who goes by "Sassy," had just begun playing in an Inter-County Youth Soccer League game when the referee told her she could only stay in the game if she cut the beads, even though they were secured, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Her coach, Carly Nájera, said the referee yelled at her when she asked about the decision.

Hair beads are a key part of Black style and culture, and have been oft-discussed in the sports world in recent years. As the Inquirer reported, "rules ostensibly about athlete safety [are] now widely viewed as discrimination against athletes of color."

“If there are rules in place that are old and they exclude certain kids, I think soccer organizations should want to be more inclusive, not less," Nájera told the publication.

According to 6abc, Wilson said the referee's behavior upset her, saying, "pointing at people is disrespectful."

She “felt embarrassed because she was the only Black child,” Nájera told the Inquirer. “But she did walk out of there with her head held high.”

The Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association is investigating the incident, according to a statement.

"A referee's primary responsibility is player safety and every referee is empowered to exercise discretion to make the best decision in the spirit of the game," the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association said in a statement to 6abc's Action News. "Referees are required to follow FIFA regulations and according to those regulations, the referee's decision was within the laws of the game."

The organization added, "Currently, the referee remains active while Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer fully investigates the incident. That being said, while the referee may have acted appropriately according to the laws of the game, in relation to the coach's account, his response and demeanor was not."

Wilson's teammates and coaches from the Kensington Soccer Club have stood by her — and according to 6abc, the soccer apparel company Icarus created a prototype of a wrap to secure and cover her braids and beads, which she plans to try out.

"We’re proud of Sassy and Coach Nájera for speaking up on the issue," the Kensington Soccer Club said online. "Any form of discrimination should not be allowed in our game."

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