Lo’eau “Lo” LaBonta laughs a lot. If joy had a captain’s armband, she’d be wearing it right alongside the one she sports for the Kansas City Current. She swears abs come from laughing, and even over the phone, her energy is undeniably vibrant. “Soccer is a game at the end of the day,” she said. “And games are supposed to be fun.” That energy carried through even during preseason training, where she checked in from sunny Florida while the ground back home in Kansas City was covered with inches of snow.

But the warm weather was just a temporary perk. Lo’s ongoing focus is pushing the team to raise the bar and build something bigger than just a winning record. Underneath all of the laughter, there’s a force that doesn’t budge. Lo calls it stubbornness, but not in the way most people think. For her, it’s resilience, the kind that has shaped every chapter of her career. She had to fight for every inch, from a draft day that nearly ended her pro dreams, to being released early in her career. “I didn’t want to just end it there so I trained even harder and then got on Kansas City’s roster,” she said.

But Lo didn’t always see Kansas City as home. A California native, she admits she had her doubts. But love and social connections changed that. Her husband, former Sporting Kansas City player Roger Espinoza, introduced her to the city by taking her on a tour of its best food and social spots. That tour turned Kansas City from a question mark into home. “I think the other reason Kansas City feels like home is we’ve also made a group of friends and community outside of soccer,” she said. Having that community outside of the sport provides balance, and she leans in to the chance to connect with friends in different circles.
Now at home in Kansas City, Lo wants to elevate Our Town, not just for herself, but for future players who will wear the Current jersey long after she hangs up her cleats. As captain, Lo is everywhere — on the field, in meetings, in media interviews, and in conversations with players and staff.  “My teammates tell me all the time they would never trade spots with me,” she said. But she wouldn’t have it any other way. She wants KC Current to be the team international players dream of joining. “They want to play in Los Angeles or the warmer cities, but we’re probably the most professional,” she said. “We’re trying to build an atmosphere to draw top talent and create a legacy here.”
When it comes to steering the team, Lo is a captain who leads not with a heavy hand, but with authenticity. She believes in setting the tone through action rather than directives. In her mind, hard work and positivity are just as contagious as they are essential. “I don’t like telling people what to do,” she said. “I want them to be themselves.” But that doesn’t mean she is hands-off. Lo is the kind of leader who checks in, listens, and balances the intensity of competition with the camaraderie of a team that truly cares about each other. It’s a roster built on mutual respect, relentless ambition, and yes, a whole lot of laughter. A chosen family, that’s how she describes her team. They push each other to be the best, sometimes quite literally.

Every team has its own personality, but there’s something different about this one. Lo has played on plenty of teams, but none quite like the Kansas City Current. “I’ve never been on a team that laughs this much,” she said. And yet, when it’s time to train, there is no holding back. They tackle hard, push each other, and fight for dominance. “We’ll go into practice and kick the crap out of each other,” she said. “But after a tackle, we pick each other up.”
For some, a tough training session calls for a quiet night in, but that’s not really Lo’s style. A natural connector, she thrives on bringing people together, whether it’s a night out with friends or rounding up teammates for an impromptu card or board game. It’s a way to laugh, bond, and remember that at the end of the day, soccer is supposed to be fun. But even amidst all the fun, Lo knows firsthand that women’s soccer still faces challenges.
Ask her how far the sport has come, and she will tell you she is cautiously optimistic. Women’s soccer has come a long way, and Lo has plenty to say about it. But being married to a male professional soccer player has made the differences impossible to ignore. Salaries are lower, and facilities still lag behind. “Kansas City is investing in its players and making it better,” she said. The team has already raised the bar with the first-ever stadium built specifically for a women’s team. But the next step is growing the audience. “We need more viewership, more accessibility to watch our games,” she said. “That’s how you build a successful league. We’ll get there. Hopefully in my lifetime.”
For all her energy on the pitch, Lo keeps moving off of it, too. Like many female athletes, she has to find other ways to make a living. “We don’t get paid that well,” she said, so she’s built side hustles to bridge the gap. This includes photo shoots and a paddleboard company she and her husband founded in Kansas City. “At the end of the day, the career is temporary,” she said. “You have to invest in what’s next.” Lo knows her soccer career won’t last forever. But she is in no rush to say goodbye. “Don’t try and retire me yet,” she joked.

What comes next? Broadcasting, maybe. Coaching? Probably not. “The hours are exhausting,” she said. “My husband signed on as a coach, and honestly, I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again.” One thing is for sure. Whatever Lo does, it will be full of heart, hustle, and a whole lot of laughter. Just like the way she plays the game.

Featured in the March 22, 2025 issue of The Independent
Photo Credit: KC Current