Students in southern Manitoba, and across Canada, wore jerseys today in support of the Humboldt Broncos.

Wyatt Henry, Rory Penner, Cole Parago, and Colton Harder are part of the Miller Aces Hockey Team and attend W.C. Miller Collegiate in Altona.

The grade 12 athletes have all spent many hours travelling together, and reflected on the accident as a team.

"It was kind of surreal at first," said Parago. "You think about what those players would feel, the surviving players, and you put yourself into their shoes and view it from your team. We've travelled together since we were little kids."

The team noted the bus rides play a big role in how their strong bond is formed.

"The bus rides are probably some of the most fun we have all year, it's the time where we don't really have to think about the games too much, especially after a win on the way home," said Harder.

Parkland Elementary staff and student body in Winkler wearing sports jerseys. Submitted photo

"Those are some of the most memorable times I'll have from my hockey career, is being with the guys on the bus and just talking. I think that's where most of our friendships are formed," Harder added.

Rob Smith, Coach and teacher at W.C. Miller Collegiate, said he took in the news as a parent, coach, and hockey player.

"As a coach, there's a reason why we book our longest tournament and bus trip at the beginning of the year," said Smith. "We use that as a weekend where we do a lot of team building, we stay in a hotel and stuff together."

"You drive home after a game and you feel like a family," Smith added.

"I've been riding a hockey bus for 30 years, I felt it as a player... but I also felt it as a coach. I knew the coach, I've done a spring camp with the coach.

He noted the Aces bus driver is their biggest fan and is a big part of the team.

"We really respect our bus driver, we really like having the same bus driver all the time, we build a relationship with him... the guys really looked up to him almost as a father figure," said Smith of their driver this season.

NPC staff and students in Winkler. Submitted photo

Smith and the team said it is hard to put into words what they feel for the families.

"There's really no words that you can tell anyone who has gone through that, that will make them feel better. But doing stuff like today, like wearing your jersey to school or leaving your stick outside with a candle, just to let them know that there's people out there that are thinking of them," said Penner.

"The team pastor had a really good message, I think his main point was the scars will last forever and the healing will take a long time, so we just have to heal together and be strong," Smith added.

Students at Roseau Valley School in Dominion City were also wearing jersey today. Nicole Neumann is from Emerson and recalls finding out about the accident.

"I was at home and I had just woken up and I was checking Facebook and I had seen a bunch of things on TSN and Sportsnet," said Neumann. "I clicked one of the links and I read it, it just kind of blew my mind that that happened."

Neumann thought about her teammates after reading the articles. She is very involved in the school's athletic program, playing volleyball, basketball, and baseball.

"I play on a club softball team and I'm very close with all my teammates and it hits you.. what if that was us travelling to a tournament or coming home from a game. It makes you think a little bit harder about how much more you need to appreciate the people around you."

Neumann was also impressed that Jersey Day had become a national event, noting it sends an important message.

(left to right) Theresa Guimond and Nicole Neumann, athletes from Roseau Valley School

"It's really awesome to see Canada come together about this tragedy and just how much it has actually affected everyone and made everyone realize we have to appreciate more of what we have," Neumann said.

A local business and their staff also joined the thousands of Canadians wearing jerseys in support of the Humboldt community.

Jim Dick, President of Rhineland Car in Altona, played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League for 3 years. He was also a part of the Altona Maroons for many years.

"In all of the small communities in Canada, hockey is just a vital part of everything. For us we just want to show our support for that community, for Humboldt, and the people there," said Dick.

He also reflects on what many hours travelling as an athlete means to him years later.

"There was a lot of bus trips, there were a lot of times we drove when the weather wasn't good and it just makes you think back to those times and reflect," he said. "Some of my best friends are guys that I played hockey with 35 years ago, a lot of those friendships come from those bus trips... those bonds become lifelong and so that really hit close to home."

"Our hearts are out with everyone," said Dick. "We're thinking about them."

Students and faculty of Northland Parkway Colligate wore jerseys, to express their thoughts for those going through this heartbreaking event. 

"This tragic situation hits close to home for the students and staff at Northlands Parkway Collegiate," says NPC Vice Principal Jeff Osinski. "We want the Humboldt Broncos to know we support them as they grieve and heal."

Photos submitted by Ecole West Park School, Mennonite Collegiate Institute, Sun Valley Co-op and Cole International.