The University of Michigan will host a swimming event to honor a former Wolverine swimmer who died by suicide.
The fourth annual Team Be Better; Invitational will take place on Sept. 26 at 3 p.m. inside Canham Natatorium on the Michigan campus. The meet will honor Ian Miskelley and promote mental health awareness in college athletics.
Miskelley died by suicide in September 2020. He was 19. The Holland native was a junior at Michigan.
At the time, his parents were determined to help other families avoid the same tragedy. Be Better; was the result, a foundation that aims to bridge certain gaps in the healthcare system to make mental health services more accessible.
“Families encounter significantly different levels of support when assisting their children with physical illnesses or injuries compared to mental illnesses,” said Steve Miskelley, Team Be Better; co-founder and Ian’s father.
“While families of student-athletes are involved in nearly every aspect of their child’s sports careers, they often feel powerless and are excluded when it comes to their mental health. This was a challenge we faced after Ian entered his teenage years. He had the best care and incredible resources at school, but it isn’t fair to put critical communication and next steps on a young person who is already carrying so much to get through the day.”
The Michigan swimming and diving program has partnered with the group from the start. This is the invitational’s second year at Canham. Swimmers from Michigan, Purdue, Hope College and Calvin University will compete.
It won’t be the only charitable swim event at Canham that weekend. Swim Across America will host its inaugural Michigan Pool Swim on Sept. 28. Proceeds from that will support the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center.