Manitoba's Interlake region again going without U15, U18 co-ed hockey

Alexander Chokin has been scoring goals for years, wearing Lake Manitoba's jersey with pride. But he is hanging it up this season. There won't be a division for the 15-year-old's team to play in. I always wanted to represent my community at home. It was fun to play with all my friends, all my classmates I grew up with. It's taken away. His First Nation is part of the Interlake Hockey Association. Parents and players from the region rallying Thursday outside Sports Manitoba. Seven interlake teams were cleared to play in Winnipeg, leaving the region without enough players to form a U15 or a U18 co-ed division for the second season in a row. If this keeps happening, there isn't going to be a minor hockey program in the interlake. And that's a sad thing. Our kids look forward to hockey every season. Teams need permission from Interlake Minor Hockey to play outside of their region. Some requested to play in Winnipeg out of concern of growing roughness in the Interlake games. The association says majority of teams were worried about not having enough teams registered to form a division, but they would stay and play in the Interlake if they were. That didn't happen by the registration deadline, and Interlake Minor Hockey's board approved the teams to leave the league. If we keep losing teams and those numbers are down, then we're essentially forcing teams to go rogue or go play elsewhere. But it's not possible for everyone. Lake Manitoba First Nation says it cannot afford it. About 30 players will be off the ice until next fall. With First Nations, like the death rate, suicide, it's at a high, right? And sports people, these kids rely on sports so much. Peguis is playing out of Winnipeg like last season. Hockey mother Marjorie Nielsen is happy her daughter will still play, but there won't be any games on her home ice. They love their own reserve, representing their own reserve. Hockey is not the same anymore. The Interlake Hockey Association wouldn't say which teams missed registration and who left the league. Both First Nations are in talks with Hockey Manitoba to find a solution. Hockey Manitoba says it's investigating. Santiago Arias Orozco, CBC News, Winnipeg.