PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, Va. β A youth soccer team in Prince George County could lose their entire season over Bible verses printed on the backs of their jerseys.
The team of 7, 8, and 9-year-olds is now caught in a controversy between parents and county officials about what can be displayed on uniforms in the county-run league.
Shauna Collins, whose 7-year-old son plays on the team, said her child loves the sport.
"This is our fourth season now that we've done it and he loves it. He's grown so much since this year," Collins said.
The games are organized through Prince George County Parks and Recreation Department. This season, Collins said the coach asked parents about adding something to the back of the jerseys.
"The coach had asked us if it was OK that we put a Bible verse on the jersey and told us the Bible verse and [they] taught it to our kids," Collins said. "We had said, 'Yes, it's fine, it's OK.' It's John 14:6."
In that verse, Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
The situation changed when one parent questioned Parks and Recreation officials about uniform rules.
"Parks and Rec called our coach and said, 'Hey, we're ordering you all new jerseys with nothing on them. And told us we could not play if we had this on the back of our jersey,'" Collins said.
Parents quickly argued that jerseys have been customized for years with children's names and even business names without issue.
Collins said county officials then delivered an ultimatum to the team.
"That if they show up on the field with those jerseys, they will not be able to play for the rest of the season," Collins said.
The controversy has sparked heated debate on social media. Not everyone supports the Bible verse addition.
One opponent questioned online: "If you allow a Bible verse, can an agnostic or atheist person add something to the contrary (or something satanic)? If there's a gay player, or a player with gay parents, would they be allowed to put a rainbow, triangle, or 'protect trans youth' patch?"
While the team is scheduled to play on Saturday at 11:30 a.m., Collins said they now have a backup plan if they are told not to play.
"The other team we are playing against has agreed that if they say we can't play, we will scrimmage somewhere else and let these kids play," Collins said.
County officials announced Friday afternoon that soccer games slated for Saturday would be rescheduled because of the First Respondersβ Day Parade.
"Based on an expected increase in spectators and traffic β and after consulting with outside counsel on internal policies and constitutional issues β Prince George County will be rescheduling all soccer games originally set for Saturday, September 13, 2025. All coaches will be notified of the new dates."
Officials also said that the new route for the parade will begin at L.L. Beazley Elementary School, continue down Courthouse Road, take a right onto Laurel Spring Road and then a right onto Courts Drive past Scott Park.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
π²: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
