“What makes Superman a hero is not that he has power, but that he has the wisdom and the maturity to use the power wisely.” Christopher Reeve famously played the part of Clark Kent/Superman on the screen. In fact, this very perspective helped etch his name as one of the very best. And it looks like gymnastics’ Clark Kent, Stephen Nedoroscik, is going down that same path. The 25-year-old shook Bercy Arena to its core when he helped Team America clinch a medal after 16 long years at the Paris Olympics. 

While that brought on a lot of cheer and recognition, it didn’t help end men’s gymnastics programs being wiped out as the days went by. However, this didn’t stop the Olympian from bringing the heat onto the stage. Week 5 on Dancing with the Stars was ‘Dedication Night’, so what better way to bring attention to this very situation than his performance? USA Gymnastics shared a snippet from their rehearsal on X, titled, “We’re with you,@GymnastSteve. 🤸‍♂️ To find out how you can support Men’s Collegiate Gymnastics, visit https://collegegym.org/donate” 

Why did Stephen Nedoroscik pick men’s gymnastics? Spotted with his partner Rylee Arnold in the rehearsal room, the gymnast pulls the curtains back on his decision. “I mean, I really want to dedicate this performance to men’s gymnastics. Gymnastics has given me everything. It gave me a family at Penn State and funneled me into the Olympics, so I owe all my success to men’s gymnastics. It’s my life,” the 25-year-old stated.

Even after returning victorious from the French capital, things continued to be grim in the collegiate gymnastics world. The 25-year-old reiterated, “But recently, the NCAA has been cutting so many men’s programs, the entire men’s gymnastics program could go away. There’s definitely extra motivation for this dance because I want to make sure I represent men’s gymnastics well.” His stellar routine began on the Pommel Horse. The Olympian showed off his stellar skills before making an incredible dismount.

Stephen Nedoroscik’s partner, Rylee Arnold, soon joined him. The duo performed the Argentine Tango to ‘Seven Nation Army’ by The White Stripes. Even though this was an entirely new dancing style for the gymnast, he gave it his all. In fact, their routine earned a total of 33 out of 40 points, their highest ever. Last week, the duo earned a 32. But Derek Hough helped boost them up with their first nine from the judges this season. So what is the 25-year-old fighting for?

Stephen Nedoroscik’s unending fight for men’s gymnastics

Earlier this month, Ohio State decided to wipe out their gymnastics athletic scholarships. What could have brought on this decision? According to data from the NCAA, participation in men’s gymnastics has been declining over the years. Even though Team USA had clinched a bronze medal at Bercy Arena, only 12 programs remain in 2024. This is incredibly low, seeing how, in 1981, 59 Division-I men’s programs existed.

While there’s no certainty on when this will happen, NBC4’s Whitney Harding reported, “We knew this was a possibility. My sources have been telling me for a while that they feared this because changes are coming to how money in college sports is spent.” Under a model of revenue sharing, the NCAA would let universities set $21 million in revenue aside for athletes per year. But this will undergo a few more changes, forcing universities to eye other programs too.

This is a major move and could affect several athletes. But Harding clarified, “The number of scholarships that the men’s gymnastics teams have is kind of scattered amongst the entire team. So, it’s not saying if they like, say, six scholarships, six athletes are affected […] It could affect the entire team. We don’t know how it’s divided up because that is how it has been working since the decline that we’ve mentioned around the country.” But how does the Olympian feel about this?

Stephen Nedoroscik’s stellar score of 15.300 helped bag a shiny Olympic medal for Team USA. But even though the gymnast hoped this would turn things around, it didn’t. Dejected, he voiced his opinion on X: “Ohio State removing athletic scholarships from Men’s Gymnastics. Yet again, another step backwards for MGYM.” The gymnast had previously stated how his Olympian teammates used to be NCAA gymnasts, just like him. But while the fight for change could take a long time, what do you think of the Olympian’s heartwarming tribute on stage?