Organizers of a local youth soccer league are looking into an apparent case of racial harassment on the field involving 8-year-olds.

Nicholas Merisma, a middle forward for the red team of the Clarkstown Soccer Club, told News 12 that Saturday's game at Zukor Park was a new experience for him.

The 8-year-old said that about halfway through the game he was trying to outdo the opposing team's defender when the defender started in on Nicholas.

"I shoulder-bumped him," he recalled. "That's legal. Then he called me all these mean words."

Nicolas said that once the contact was made, he did not hear just one racial attack - but several for the rest of the game.

He hopes the soccer club leaders do something about it.

"You can treat everybody [the way] that you want to be treated," Nicholas said.

His mother, Rode Merisma, said that after the game, a representative of the soccer club relayed an apology to Rode from the other player's mother.

Rode Berisma declined. She said she did not want the club organizers and coaches to leave the incident to be handled as an innocent spat between players. She wanted it to become a teachable moment and she wanted assurances that it would not happen again.

"How do I keep this kind of thing from happening [again]?" she asked. "And how does the league guarantee that those kinds of things aren't going to continue to happen? How do they guarantee my son's safety?"

The soccer club's board of directors collectively wrote to News 12 and the Berisma family, informing them that they have suspended the player who is believed to have harassed Nicholas.

They also said the club will incorporate training for coaches from 'Switch the Pitch,' a nationwide program that shows coaches how to prevent and respond to racism on the soccer field.

The Merismas hope it works.

"I need him (Nicholas) to know, we have his back," Rode Berisma said. "We will protect you. It's not ok for other kids to call you the n-word, just because."

The club's board also apologized directly to the Merismas.

"The language used in this incident is completely unacceptable, and we take this matter very seriously," the statement read. "Please know that we are truly sorry for the pain this has caused your son and your family."