Founders
A’Jaee
A'Jaee Foster is a former collegiate basketball standout and accomplished coach with more than eight years of experience in coaching, player development, basketball operations, and athletic leadership. Foster began her collegiate career at Los Angeles Valley College, where she helped lead the Monarchs to a Western State Conference Championship, an undefeated conference season, and a California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State Elite Eight appearance. She earned CCCAA All-State Second Team and Western State Conference (WSC) First Team All-Conference honors while earning her Associate Degree in Sociology. She continued her career at Cal Poly Humboldt, where she was named California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Newcomer of the Year, earned All-Conference First and Second Team honors, and received All-Academic recognition. During the 2014–15 season, she helped lead the Lumberjacks to the program's first-ever CCAA regular-season championship while leading the team in scoring and rebounding. Foster earned her Bachelor's degree in Social Work before completing her Master's degree in Organizational Leadership in 2021. Following her playing career, Foster transitioned into coaching, serving as an Assistant Coach at Los Angeles Valley College, Video Coordinator at Gonzaga University, and Head Assistant Coach at Academy of Art University. Foster later spent five seasons at University High School, serving three years as an assistant coach before being promoted to Program Director. In that role, she oversaw all aspects of the basketball program, including strategic planning, staff leadership, player development, operations, culture, and long-term program growth. During her five-year tenure, the program captured three league championships and five consecutive playoff appearances. Today, Foster serves as an Athletic Director and is proud to be the Co-Owner of the Rise Family, where she continues to develop student-athletes, build impactful programs, and create opportunities for the next generation through sport.
Kiki
Kiki is the Head Girls Basketball Coach at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory. She brings a wealth of coaching experience at both the high school and collegiate levels. She began her basketball career at George Washington High School before continuing as a student-athlete at Whittier College.
Since transitioning into coaching, Kiki has built an impressive résumé with stops at Kaiser High School in Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi (2018–19), Hoover Middle School (2019–20), Lowell High School (2019–20), City College of San Francisco (2021–22), Pinewood High School (2020–2025), and University High School (2025-26).
During her five seasons at Pinewood, the program enjoyed remarkable success, capturing five WBAL Championships, the 2021 CCS Open Division Championship, and making multiple deep postseason runs. The Panthers finished ranked among California's Top 10 teams in 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025, earned two CCS Open Division runner-up finishes, and made three NorCal Open Division appearances.
Beyond the high school level, Kiki played a key role in the Fever AAU program from 2020 to 2025, coaching teams from 13U through 17U while helping develop highly competitive teams and preparing student-athletes for success at the next level.
Brianna
Bri is currently an Assistant Girls Basketball Coach at Sacred Heart Cathedral and Program Director for Rise Basketball, bringing playing and coaching experience from both the high school and collegiate ranks. A standout at Pinewood High School, she earned First Team All-WBAL honors as a junior and was named WBAL MVP her senior year. Over her four years at Pinewood, she was part of four WBAL League Championship teams and helped the program reach some of its deepest postseason runs, including a runner-up finish in the 2016 NorCal Open Division, the 2018 NorCal Open Division title, and a State Open Division runner-up finish.
She continued her career at the University of California, San Diego, playing four seasons as the program made its transition from Division II to Division I. Bri was named CCAA Freshman of the Year, picked up All-CCAA Honorable Mention as a sophomore, and helped the team capture two conference championships during her time there.
After finishing her playing career, Bri moved into the administrative side of college athletics, working with the athletic departments at both UC San Diego and the West Coast Conference. She's remained connected to the game as a club basketball coach since 2015, and most recently spent the 2025–26 season as an assistant coach at University High School before making the move to Sacred Heart Cathedral.
She is currently furthering her education, pursuing a Master's degree in Coaching and Athletics Administration from Concordia University Irvine.
Coaches
Eric
Eric began his Strength & Conditioning career in 2010 at the Riekes Center, coaching athletes from youth through professional and Paralympic levels. In 2013, he became Head Athletic Performance Coach and facility manager at Revolution Athletic Performance and Sports Health Science in Alameda, CA, training collegiate, NBA, and NFL athletes and leading high school football/volleyball programs with BAM performance assessments. In 2014, he supported BAM at two NBA pre-draft events (Portsmouth Invitational and the Clippers' combine) and coached at the Adidas Nations Global Basketball Experience.
That fall, Eric joined Team Esface Basketball, heading up the new Team Esface Strength venture in Palo Alto, where he led Dominican University's basketball strength programs, assisted at a Prolific Prep combine, and served as Head Coach plus Coordinator for Technology, Internships, and Social Media.
In 2015, he added roles as an exercise physiology specialist at Dr. Ting Sports Rehabilitation and head coach at Murray Athletic Development. He completed his Master's in Kinesiology (Exercise Physiology) at Concordia University of Chicago in 2018, with capstone research on Blood Flow Restriction Training's effects on strength performance and recovery.
