Stephen Nedoroscik has been turning heads ever since he helped the U.S. men’s gymnastics team snap a 16-year medal drought at the Olympics. Whether he’s basking in the glory of the team medal or winning his own individual accolade at the Paris Olympics, this “Clark Kent” of gymnastics is always in the spotlight. It’s like something out of a superhero flick—he just whipped off his glasses and nailed an epic pommel horse routine that had fans cheering like crazy. Thanks to that killer performance, his “Clark Kent” nickname is now all about bringing the glory back to U.S. gymnastics!

His Olympic success didn’t just earn him accolades; it also landed him an invite to Dancing with the Stars, propelling his fame to dazzling new heights. All this thanks to the world of gymnastics that set him on this incredible journey. But here’s a fun tidbit: this 25-year-old “Clark Kent” of gymnastics started his athletic adventure way back in 2003 when he was just a sprightly 5-year-old! And now recently, his mom spilled the beans on why they decided to make him start gymnastics at such a young age!

In an episode of the Got It From My Momma Podcast, Stephen Nedoroscik’s mom, Cheryl, shared the fun backstory of how her son got into gymnastics. When the host asked her about little Stephen and his energetic personality, she laughed and reminisced. “Well, he’s one out of three. The other two are girls. He was definitely a boy. He loved to tease his sisters, and he was a monkey.” Picture him climbing on everything and getting into all kinds of mischief!

Cheryl painted a vivid picture of his adventurous spirit. “He was walking when he was nine months old. By the time he was a year old, he could go up the stairs to the second floor.” This little guy was fearless, shimmying up the outside of the house and crawling over baby gates. “We knew he wouldn’t get hurt. He just had that rambunctious little boy.” Imagine babysitters chasing after him, trying to keep up with his endless energy! He even had a bruise on his forehead that lasted for six months because he just couldn’t stop bumping into things.

Recognizing that Stephen Nedoroscik needed an outlet for all that energy, Cheryl and her husband decided to get him into gymnastics. “We knew his energy level. He needed something to get it out of his system,” she explained. It turned out to be the perfect match. “That was definitely what he loved to do: crawl and swing and jump and just, you know, be a boy.”

It seems that decision paved the way for his amazing journey in gymnastics! While it was Stephen’s mom who kickstarted his gymnastics journey, she was stunned when she found out he was joining Dancing with the Stars after all his Olympic fame!

Stephen Nedoroscik’s mom stunned by his DWTS news

Stephen Nedoroscik’s mom, Cheryl, opened up about her son’s surprise spot on DWTS during the Got It From My Momma podcast. When asked how he got the invite, she chuckled and admitted she had no idea, but figured it was probably because of his age. The news totally caught her off guard when he casually told her, “He just let me know one day, mom, I’m gonna be on Dancing with the Stars.”

But as any worried mom would, she stressed, “He’s never danced a day in his life.” Despite her concerns, Cheryl hoped Stephen’s knack for picking things up quickly would apply to dancing. And it seems she was right! Stephen and his partner, Rylee Arnold, quickly won over fans with their energy and charm. A few weeks into the competition, they’ve become favorites, especially after Stephen’s recent Argentine Tango tribute to the U.S. gymnastics team.

Kicking off with his iconic pommel horse move, they wowed the judges with their performance to “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes, scoring an impressive 33 out of 40, including their first 9 from Derek Hough. Stephen is not just keeping up; he’s stealing the show!