Some high school basketball players in the Pee Dee are protesting the removal of their basketball coach.

Ashley McKithen, Carmon Jackson and Asia Graham started a petition campaign to give Coach Perry Stokes his old job back. They say Stokes has coached girls basketball at Timmonsville high school for 29 years.

Last week, he was a position to coach the boys baseball team instead of the girls basketball team. This has devastated his former players. "When I first heard the news, I was shocked because Coach Stokes, he's a nice coach, and he's good at what he does and I think that they should extend his coaching," said Carmon Jackson.

The girls say they've gotten hundreds of signatures on their petition to re-hire Stokes to coach girls basketball.

They plan to present it to the school board at Tuesday night's meeting.