Living up to the Olympics hype, Stephen Nedoroscik sat down for an interview. Meeting his girlfriend Tess was no fairytale date. Instead, it was inside a boring medical room at Penn State. There she was, cracking her back. “I thought it was kind of funny, so I introduced myself. We sat there and took an ADHD test or some baseline thing.” But a single test isn’t conclusive.

Now, Nedoroscik’s fans know he has been dealing with several health issues like coloboma—a condition that complicated the development of his eyes. He has also grappled with strabismus (cross-eye), making his glasses crucial for his vision. But performing on the pommel horse demands he remove them so his glasses don’t fly away. As a result, Stephen Nedoroscik perceives the judges and the arena lights in a dreamy blur—an artistic mess rather than a clear view.

However, ADHD only further complicated things for a young Nedoroscik, but gymnastics helped him channel his extra energy in the right direction. The result? Bronze medals for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics. Now two months on, the DWTS star, who latest performed a passionate Argentine tango to “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes on Dedication Night, revealed why advocating for men’s gymnastics has been a big part of his career, a career that, for many, has plummeted substantially. If you want to talk statistics, there has been a sharp decrease from 59 Division-I programs in 1981 to just 12 in 2024—that’s almost an 80% drop.

In a recent chat with Jennifer Hudson on her show, things got real when she asked Stephen Nedoroscik, “You dedicated your recent dance to men’s gymnastics and have been an advocate for that in the sport. Why does that mean so much to you?”

He responded, “Gymnastics is my life and I mean, it taught me, you know goals. How to set goals, go after goals. And as someone who was a reckless kid, I have ADHD, and like, you know, it’s a great thing to be a part of.

“To teach you life lesson after life lesson and the community is just beautiful and I just think like that any kid who wants to dream big and do gymnastics, should have that opportunity.

“Right now the NCAA, a lot of programs are dropping, dropping, dropping and you know, outside the NCAA, there isn’t many opportunities. So I just want to use my voice and my newfound platform to bring men’s gymnastics back in this country.”

This also reminds us how Simone Biles was previously under scrutiny for taking ADHD medication after her medical documents were leaked by hackers. When people accused her of having an unfair advantage in competitions because of her medications, the gymnast came forward to share that she was not ‘ashamed’ of having ADHD or taking medications for it. But getting back to Stephen Nedoroscik’s work towards men’s gymnastics:

This decline is happening alongside a new revenue-sharing model that could let universities allocate up to $21 million for athletes, putting men’s gymnastics at risk. With the NCAA now allowing some athletes to be compensated, funding for gymnastics programs is likely to be affected. The two-time Olympic bronze medalist Stephen Nedoroscik has also raised concerns regarding Ohio State’s decision to cut athletic scholarships for men’s gymnastics, reflecting a broader trend that threatens the sport’s future despite his recent achievements.

“Ohio State removing athletic scholarships from Men’s Gymnastics. Yet again, another step backwards for MGYM. With the success of current and former NCAA gymnasts at the Olympics you’d think NCAA programs would be excited for the upcoming season, not stripping away opportunities,” he wrote on X on Oct. 4.

But with his new platform on DWTS, Stephen Nedoroscik is eager to make a change, using his voice to rally support for men’s gymnastics in the U.S.

Stephen Nedoroscik: What did he say on DWTS?

On Oct. 16, Stephen Nedoroscik and his dance partner, Rylee Arnold, hit the stage with an electrifying Argentine Tango, diving into a totally new vibe for them. What made this performance extra special was Nedoroscik’s heartfelt tribute to the U.S. gymnastics team, kicking things off with a nod to his famous pommel horse skills.

This moment was all about the Dedication Night theme, where the Massachusetts native showcased his gymnastics roots before seamlessly transitioning into the passionate tango. But after his performance, he shared the thought process behind it.

“Well, it wasn’t just my Olympic team. I dedicated it to the whole sport of men gymnastics. I wanted to make that a point because the sport itself has been slowly dying throughout, you know, the last couple of decades. And I want to make sure this sport not only is surviving but thriving.”

“The sport is everything. I have done it since I was four and a half. It built me up into the man I am today and, like it taught me every life lesson like long-term goals, discipline, taught me how to get good grades believe it or not.”

But what did the judges think about their dance routine? They loved it and gave the performance a score of 33 out of 40—their highest score till then! Plus, they snagged their first 9 from Derek Hough, which made the night even more special. Nedoroscik’s blend of gymnastics and dance wowed everyone, proving he’s got some serious talent on the dance floor too.

Well, do you want to see Stephen Nedoroscik more on the dance floor? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.