.jpg)
When they’re not busy training or facing off against each other on the court, WNBA players Kiki Iriafen (Washington Mystics) and Aneesah Morrow (Connecticut Sun) are partnering up with the Coach Foundation to empower the next generation of students.
Offering education, mentorship, and community support, the Coach Foundation was created to support young people achieve their dreams by removing barriers and creating new opportunities for kids in underserved communities to thrive. Since 2008, the American fashion brand’s foundation has donated over $75 million dollars and awarded over 7,000 scholarships.
“The biggest thing in partnering with Coach is being with a brand that cares about giving back to others as well,” Iriafen tells Teen Vogue in an exclusive interview. “I’m super excited to be working with kids and giving them an opportunity to achieve their dreams. I was able to be in the WNBA because I had the right people supporting me, so to be able to extend that to the next generation is super special.”
Morrow echoes Iriafen’s statements, adding that the Coach Foundation “understands that real progress happens when you invest in authentic relationships and support systems that last well beyond any single event or campaign.”
.jpg)
For Morrow, being a mentor means being a steady presence that someone else can count on when life gets overwhelming. “I get to be the shoulder they can lean on and the voice that reminds them they're capable of more than they realize,” she tells Teen Vogue.
Learning from her own mentors—her parents and her coaches—Morrow says mentoring is just as much about listening as it is about giving advice. “Sometimes young people don't want to hear solutions when they share what’s bothering them, they just need someone to truly hear them and validate what they're going through.”
For Iriafen, her parents were “the number one people” that helped her become who she is today. She also says mentors like her high school coaches and trainers in college helped her go pro. She notes that a major inspiration for her was L.A. Sparks player Candace Parker, who now helps challenge Iriafen to become a better player. The greatest lesson she’s learned so far? That you can do whatever you put your mind to.
On June 12, Iriafen and Morrow joined the Coach Foundation for their annual Dream Day to celebrate all the recent graduates and new students enrolling in the mentorship program, Dream It Real. Now in its seventh year, the program is on track to see a 97% graduate rate, compared to the 21% national average of students with similar demographics, according to a PR release.
.jpg)
In addition to having mentors like the WNBA players join their program, the Coach Foundation recently announced that it is increasing their U.S. investment to $20M over the next four years and nearly doubling the number of 4-year scholarships it offers annually. By 2027, the Coach Foundation will have awarded 10,000 scholarships, three years ahead of their original schedule.
“The most important lesson my mentors taught me is that success isn't just about what you achieve, it's about how you lift others up along the way,” Morrow says. “They helped me understand that true leadership means using your platform to create pathways for the people coming behind you, which is why I’m thrilled to be working with The Coach Foundation to uplift these future leaders.”
