'Tell us why we can't have a team': Players protest shutdown of Transcona hockey team

A Transcona high school hockey team is looking for answers after their program was shut down on very short notice this week.

The Transcona Collegiate Institute Titans traded their hockey sticks for signs in a walkout Friday after learning their team will not play this season.

"We've all been pretty disappointed and devastated all week, so we're just trying to get all the support we can and do anything we can to try and get our team back and get back on the ice," said Griffin Boomer, a grade 12 student who has been playing with the team for two years.

The team received the news on Tuesday, hearing that the school division was concerned about the team's roster size and financial feasibility.

"Every hurdle they threw at us, we overcame," said assistant coach Thomas Boomer, Griffin's older brother who played for the Titans when he was in high school. "They said we didn't have enough guys, so we got enough guys…they said you need 13 players, we have 14 and two goalies."

Thomas said the division kept coming up with reasons to say no. "They tried to say fundraising was an issue, so we started a petition. We have well over 2,000 signatures now, so support and fundraising would be totally viable."

School principal Christine Anderson said in an email to CTV News that even though they have received calls to reconsider, the decision will stand.

"I am fully aware that this is a great disappointment to some students and their families," said Anderson. "I feel I must restate that this decision was not made lightly, as there have been suggestions to the contrary."

The move comes almost a month into the school year - too late for some players to try out for another hockey team.

"At least tell us the reason," said Thomas. "They say it's confidential, but we've overcome every obstacle they've thrown at us, I don't see why we couldn't overcome one more.

"At least be fair with us and tell us why we can't have a team."