An Interview with Lucas “LAO!” Bouahom

November 13, 2026

By Cameron Welte 
Nov 3, 2026 

From a timid new face at The Ohio State University’s Esports Arena to playing for the 
Overwatch World Cup Philippines team, Lucas “LAO!” Bouahom has grown greatly over the 
past few years as a player, teammate, and most importantly, friend to those he plays alongside.  

“A program like this is very nice. I think I’d be a totally different person if I didn’t find this 
[Ohio State Esports], and I’m glad I did. It’s made me who I am today.” 

New Beginnings

Starting off his college career at Ohio State’s Newark campus, Lucas learned about the esports 
program during orientation and was immediately interested in getting involved. After doing 
some research about the various teams and players for Overwatch, he signed up for the new 
season’s tryouts just three days before they happened, feeling unsure about making the team. But 
to his surprise, later that week, he found out he made the team, and his esports journey began. 

Luckily for Lucas, he lived close to Main Campus, despite going to school at the Newark branch, 
so he was able to commute to the Arena. However, before coming to Main Campus for Media 
Day, he didn’t even know about the expansive Esports Arena located in Lincoln Tower, “It was 
crazy to me that this place is hidden in a tall tower that looks like it would just be offices and 
dorms.” Not having played on a competitive team before, it was a brand new environment for 
Lucas. Initially, he rarely came to the Arena (unless his wifi was acting up), but as time went on, 
he warmed up to the team, both in and out of the game, and started to enjoy coming to the Arena 
and connecting with other players in person.  

“This year and last year, we came in person a lot. You get to hang out with each other after, 
whereas online, you don’t really get to see each other face to face and make physical 
memories. And this year, with NACE, where you have to come in [to the Arena], we can talk 
around, check up on each other, and even get food after or before. There are a lot more 
memories you can make because you’re closer with these people. It’s definitely built a lot of 
relationships and community.” 

Cultivating Community 

Toward the end of his first year playing on Ohio State’s Scarlet Overwatch team, he was worried 
about the team dynamic moving forward, since the team manager was graduating. So, he stepped 
up into the role to ensure the team and program as a whole was moving forward. “It seems pretty 
easy, but you do have a lot of responsibility and things you need to do with it. I wanted to make 
sure I could keep the community and continue to make it bigger.”  

Now, in his second year as team manager, he strives to strengthen the relationships of the team 
inside and out of the Arena. The team’s synergy is amplified by building these personal 
connections that go beyond simply playing the game together. Even when facing teams of higher 
rated players, the Scarlet Overwatch team’s trust and coordination can outweigh technical skill, 
“Having these really good relationships actually levels us up a lot.” From team dinners to 
sleepovers and group baking, the team stays involved with each other, bolstering their personal 
relationships, which improves their in-game teamwork. 

“Spending the day with your teammates, especially when you have a strong relationship, is 
super fun. Any day I get to do that is a really good memory.” 

From Collegiate to World Stage 

Earlier this year, Lucas had the incredible opportunity to play on the Overwatch World Cup 
Philippines team, placing 1st in the Overwatch World Cup 2026 Conference Cups and 5th/6th in 
the Overwatch World Cup 2026 Asia Conference. 

He learned that the team was recruiting through some connections in esports, which led him to 
reach out about wanting to get involved. After two days of tryouts, he made the final cut and was 
selected as a support player for the team. With more experienced players on the team, he adjusted 
his playstyle to fit this new team dynamic, learning to take a step back from the team leader role 
that he’s used to. Communication was the biggest difference, with much less required on the 
World Cup team because of the team’s heightened game sense. “It’s a drastic change; you go 
from not talking as much to talking the most, so it’s very different.” Lucas learned from his team 
and improved as a player through scriming and competing on a professional level and had an 
amazing time throughout the experience.  

“It was really fun. I don’t think I would ever expect myself to be on a team like that. I’ve been 
playing videogames for a long time, but I didn’t think I was ever going to play in something 
like a World Cup type event. I was really happy and very happy that I did it. …also something 
that was fun about it was I got to meet new people–people who look like me, act like me, speak 
the same language and all that."

Just like the relationships he’s built through the Scarlet team, Lucas connected with many players 
on the Philippines team and have continued to stay in touch. To him, esports is all about meeting 
new people and making connections. Despite never meeting them in person, he values these 
relationships and appreciates the opportunities to engage with people all over the world. He puts 
it plainly, “When I look at the teams I’ve been on, I’m friends first before teammates.” As Lucas 
continues in his esports career and expands his global network even further, he’ll be leading with 
compassion for both the game and the people he meets along the way.