The post Kelsey Plum back to ‘being a kid’ amid new foundation launch appeared first on ClutchPoints.
LOS ANGELES – As Kelsey Plum walked over to a small group of reporters following the official launch of her new foundation, the excitement and joy in the eyes of the Los Angeles Sparks star was unmistakable.
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After a press release that went out on Thursday, Kelsey Plum officially launched the new foundation at the Heart of Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Center on Friday evening with a camp for kids hosted by Under Armour. The launch featured on-court basketball training for campers as well as a mental health workshop.
The launch of the foundation helped Plum feel like a kid again, a feeling she still searches for whenever things don’t always seem to be going right, especially on the basketball court.
“When you step out on the court, I try to remember that I’m that young kid that was playing in the backyard. And that imagination and just having the desire to play,” Plum said. “That’s why I came to play basketball in the first place. So I always try to make sure that anytime I lose sight of that joy, to go back to being a kid again. And that always seems to do the trick.”
Kelsey Plum’s dedication to giving back
Plum’s new foundation is only one of the ways in which the Sparks star has given back to the next generation during her career. She began a camp called ‘Dawg Class’ which is geared towards women’s college basketball players. The first session was held in 2023.
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Several current WNBA players have participated in past sessions, including Washington Mystics guard Georgia Amoore, Dallas Wings guards Diamond Miller and Aziaha James, Seattle Storm guard Nika Mühl, Golden State Valkyries guard Kate Martin, Connecticut Sun wing Saniya Rivers and Chicago Sky guard Hailey Van Lith.
During WNBA All-Star Weekend, Plum took the time to sit down and chat with some of the top girls high school basketball players in the country.
But this foundation and what it aims to do is the first of its kind for Plum. But no matter what age group she works with, she believes it’s crucial for athletes of her stature to give back. It’s been a season of growth for Plum on the court, and part of her mission is to continue to help those after her with their own growth.
“I think you got to remember where you came from, and who helped you to get there and your journey. I think at the end of the day, it’s about the journey. The basketball stuff is great, but that will come to an end,” Plum said. “Me being able to have an impact on people way after basketball, this is probably one of the most proud moments in terms of just as an athlete. Basketball has been able to help me do something like this.”
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While the youth at the foundation launch got to participate in basketball training, perhaps the part of the foundation that Plum is most invested in is the mental health aspect. Her foundation aims to provide mental health support for young children, especially those in underprivileged communities.
“As a young girl growing up I had great support in mentors, and I still struggled with confidence issues and body image issues. I think that in itself, in terms of mental health, trying to figure that out on your own is tough,” Plum said. “And so I’m fortunate and blessed that I had a great support system and I got through. But a lot of kids don’t have that.”
“Really what the foundation is about is not just me being vulnerable, but them to almost get a humanized, ‘hey this is real. Everyone deals with things like this,’” Plum continued. “The road is not easy regardless of if you want to go play basketball or you want to do whatever in life. We all deal with mental health at some type of level. We’re all humans, we all want to connect and feel loved and appreciated.”
Kelsey Plum continues Sparks’ community involvement
Earlier in the summer, the Sparks held two events geared towards supporting youth in the surrounding communities. One was part of the WNBA’s annual camp day games where local youth summer camps are able to come watch a game during the day and see what it’s like to be at pro arena.
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The second was the team’s annual ‘Balln on the Beach’ basketball tournament for middle and high school aged girls at Venice Beach. With the increasing popularity of women’s sports, and women’s basketball specifically, WNBA players have become faces in the community.
While Kelsey Plum’s new foundation certainly comes at a time when the women’s game is experiencing tremendous growth, she made it clear that this something much bigger than basketball with much bigger aspirations alongside growing the game.
“I’m super grateful that we have the microscope that we do, and it’s continuing to grow. I think beyond that though, just being able to launch this foundation is very special because it’s personal,” Plum said. “I am grateful that it probably gets highlighted a little more because of where our league is at, but this was going to happen regardless, and it just was the perfect time to do it.”
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