LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) – Southwest Louisiana native Todd Bourgeois was just a professor that one day decided to take his class to an obstacle course competition. What he didn’t know was that day would go on to shape his career, as he went on to become an American Ninja Warrior star.

“It all started, with the students, they asked me to participate in an obstacle course race with them, and we got together, did it, and just randomly just won the whole thing,” said Bourgeois. “The students were pressing me to then do American Ninja Warrior, they basically filled the application out for me, kept pushing me, and finally I was like, all right, all right, I’ll do it, and boom, there I went.”

Bourgeois grew up in the small town of Lacassine, and it is that community that continues to inspire his as he continues his journey through American Ninja Warrior.

“It was a huge honor to be on a national platform like that representing my hometown, I’d rather represent that than pretty much anything else because that’s where my heart and my soul still lives,” said Bourgeois. “They’re best people that you could come across as far as helping each other out, forming a community, coming together to get things done, and it’s just a tremendous honor to represent that.”

As Bourgeois now heads deeper into this years competition, he hopes that people watching him can be inspired to chase their dreams as well.

“If you have an idea, I like the word fiddle with it, check it out,” said Bourgeois. “I had no idea that I was going to be good at this, I was a pole vaulter 10 plus years ago, so keep charging, keep going, if it sticks, great, if it doesn’t stick, try something else, just find what works for you to keep you moving, enjoying life and find your niche.”

Copyright 2025 KPLC. All rights reserved.