Teen Mental Health Wins Big at Tournament

More than 350 community members along with enthusiastic basketball players and fans gathered on Sunday, August 27 at Menlo School in Atherton for the CHC SteelMike Shootout 2023 Basketball Tournament. The annual event raised over $200,000 for adolescent mental health – reaching its highest fundraising goal yet, thanks to a matching opportunity from a generous anonymous donor and an online auction that featured popular items ranging from a Warriors Chase Center Courtside Lounge to a private training with Warriors Coach, Kris Weems.

Founded in 2016, by the Harris family (Peter, Jan, Richard, and David Harris), the annual community event is a loving tribute to Michael Harris, a cherished counselor at Menlo School who passed away due to a tragic boating accident in 2015. All funds from the basketball tournament go towards the Michael Harris Fund at CHC which was established by the family with the goal to increase awareness, connect those in need to specialized help, remove stigma, and ultimately reduce teen depression and suicide in the local community.

Thirty-eight teams registered for the event in varied categories, resulting in some highly competitive games. The players got creative this year, expressing their team spirit by designing their own t-shirts with some catchy names like “Dunkin Dads,” “Bubble Guppie Elite”, and “Hoops, I did it Again.”

Competitive Adult Champion: Flint Tropics

Tyler Gaffaney, Jordan Hunt, Sam Johnson, and Charles Meng

High School Varsity Champion: SBDSM Elite

JP Kerrigan, TJ O’Brien, Erick Osterloh, and Drew Wagner

High School Junior Varsity Champion: Serra Paly Crew

Dylan Robinson, Nate Robinson, Jackson Sims, and Jake Wang

Non-Competitive Adult Champion: Hoops, I Did It Again

Olivia Clearwater, Avery Harding, Maddie Hart, Rachel Schustern, and Molly Smith

Crowdfunding Champion the Barnett Ballers (Lindsey, Lily, and Connor Barnett ) for raising over $16,000

View full photo album and follow CHC on Facebook.

The biggest winners of the event are the young people who will receive services from CHC thanks to the Michael Harris Fund at CHC. The Fund supports the following CHC programs, ensuring they are accessible and affordable to adolescents in need: RISE Intensive Outpatient Program, financial assistance for individual therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) groups for teens.The Fund also supports CHC’s free community programs like Parent Support Groups, Voices of Compassion podcast, and the CHC Online Resource Library.

Attendees of all ages enjoyed the lively event with delicious food, outdoor games, a dribbling clinic led by the Riekes Center, and booths that promoted mental health awareness.

Thank you to our supporters and committee members who have made this event possible!

Lindsey Barnett, Matt Bouret, Ana Braskamp, Alex Curtis, Mallory Frye, Richard Harris, and Kelly Umberg

Pam & Larry Baer, Annie & Jim Barnett, Birkhofer Family, Sandy & Dick Boyce, Brook & Shawn Byers, Jackie & Mark Curtis, Laura & John Foster, Nanci & Gary Fredkin, Lulu & Larry Frye, Marcia & John Goldman, Sue Valeriote & Ken Goldman, Michaela & Jay Hoag, Julie Terrell Hooper & Bill Hooper, Paula Hurd, Jacque & John Jarve, Anne & Ken Lawler, Lynda & John Marren, Betsy & Matt Matteson, Mindy & Jesse Rogers, Sally & Dr. Richard Slavin, Mary & Mark Stevens, Jennifer Bailey & John Zeisler