Duluth basketball scholarship honors player who died tragically

Jan 27, 2025

Brady VanHove loved the game of basketball until the day he passed away and went home to be with Jesus. 

He first started playing basketball in the mid-2000s at age 4, when his grandfather, Mike Jahn, encouraged him to join The Salvation Army’s Rookie Basketball Association – the preeminent youth basketball league in Duluth, Minn., and nearby communities in Wisconsin. 

Brady played for the RBA’s former chapter in Northwestern School District in Wisconsin, where he learned to dribble, shoot and pass. He also learned the fundamentals of being a good human, such as teamwork, positivity, and working hard.

“Brady was a point guard – quick, with great ball handling,” said his mother, Missy Haworth. “He was a gifted athlete and had a strong faith in Jesus Christ.”

His time in the RBA laid the foundation for 10 more years of basketball success, including playing for the following teams:

  • Grades 3–5: Poplar Wolves, Northwestern School District “Hoop League”
  • Grades 6–8: Traveling basketball
  • Grades 7–8: Northwestern Middle School
  • Grades 9-12: Northwestern High School

Although Brady stood at only 5’10”, his talent for the game outweighed his small stature.  

“Brady’s height didn’t keep him from dunking, which earned him the nickname, ‘The Jump Master,’ from his friends,” said Brady’s father, Ryan Haworth (pictured with Missy). 

Missy and Ryan’s favorite memory of Brady occurred when he was playing in a high school basketball game his sophomore year. His team was losing the entire game – until Brady seized an opportunity to steal the victory. 

“He shot a three-pointer at the buzzer and his team won by one point,” Missy said. “Brady was ecstatic!”

After high school, Brady continued to play basketball regularly at the local YMCA, the recreation center at the University of Wisconsin at Superior, and in his driveway at home.

Sadly, Brady died at age 21 in an industrial accident. On Sept. 8, 2020, he went home to be with his Lord and Savior.

While the loss of Brady will always be deeply painful to Missy, Ryan, and the rest of Brady’s family and friends, their memories of him and his love of basketball will live on through a new scholarship fund created in his honor.

Brady VanHove Memorial Scholarship Fund

This month, Missy and Ryan announced the Brady VanHove Memorial Scholarship Fund, benefitting The Salvation Army RBA. The fund will provide a $1,000 scholarship annually for many years to come.  

Through this scholarship, countless underprivileged youth in the Duluth area will have the opportunity to play organized basketball far into the future. Download scholarship application.   

“It is our hope that this scholarship will provide the same joy to other youth that Brady experienced playing basketball in the RBA,” Ryan said.

Founded in 1987, the RBA offers community-focused basketball opportunities for hundreds of children throughout winter, spring and summer. Last year’s winter leagues alone included 525 kids guided by 98 volunteer coaches who gave more than 2,000 hours of time.

In addition to basketball, the RBA also emphasizes character-building. Players engage in service projects while learning the character qualities of love, joy and peace through teamwork, loyalty and hard work. They also learn the value of charity: In last year’s winter league, players collected and donated nearly 900 pounds of food for Salvation Army food shelves.  

“Through his participation in the RBA, Brady developed basketball skills and also learned teamwork, taking instruction, listening, discipline, and respect,” Missy said. “These life skills benefitted him on and off the court throughout his life.”

RBA Director Kris Mallett is grateful to Brady’s family for their gift, and honored that the RBA is part of his legacy. In her words: 

Brady and his parents understood the benefit of playing basketball. Not only did the game provide him joy, it challenged him to grow as a person on and off the court. 

We are so grateful to receive the Brady VanHove Memorial Scholarship Fund. It will help local kids to impact others through teamwork and allow them to grow in discipline and respect – all of which are virtues that RBA staff and parents desire in our players.  

Just like a stone thrown in a lake makes ripples that can be seen on the other side, this scholarship will have ripple effects in our community for years to come. 


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