Savannah Bananas’ Jackson Olson joins ‘Dancing with the Stars’: ‘I kind of manifested this whole thing’

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Jackson Olson made no secret of his desire to compete on “Dancing with the Stars.”

As a second baseman for the energetic Savannah Bananas, he’s already expected to dance as part of the team’s performance.

He’s also popular on TikTok, with over 2.1 million followers, and he’s actively used the platform to promote his goal of landing this job.

It worked.

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Chris Clarke had a fantastic college baseball career at USC, then spent six years trying to make it in the minor leagues. Now, he’s found a fun new opportunity with the Savannah Bananas.

ABC revealed on Tuesday that Olson will be competing on the next season of “Dancing with the Stars,” known as “DWTS.” He’ll be joining Maura Higgins from “Traitors” and “Love Island,” and Ciara Miller of “Summer House,” all vying for the Mirrorball Trophy. More contestants will be announced soon.

Olson explained in an interview with “Good Morning America” that she initially made a joke on TikTok last year, never expecting it to actually happen. However, after seeing positive responses in the comments, she started to think it might be possible after all. “I kind of manifested this whole thing,” she said.

Jake Olson, 28, from New Milford, Connecticut, was a college baseball player for five years at Hartford and Stetson University. During 183 games, he hit .273 with 171 hits, 62 RBIs, and 5 home runs. He didn’t begin his dancing career until joining the Savannah Bananas in 2022. The Bananas are known for their fun, unconventional style of baseball, which includes dancing and playful antics.

Olson said that growing up, he never imagined he’d be doing something like playing for the Bananas. He described himself as a very shy child who didn’t dance, wasn’t outgoing, and didn’t perform – but now he’s discovered a real love for entertaining.

Since its start in 2005, “Dancing with the Stars” has frequently featured athletes, and many have even won the competition. Some of the sports stars who have become champions include NFL players Emmitt Smith, Hines Ward, Donald Driver, and Rashad Jennings, Olympians like Apolo Anton Ohno, Kristi Yamaguchi, Shawn Johnson, Meryl Davis, Laurie Hernandez, and Adam Rippon, IndyCar driver Hélio Castroneves, and NBA player Iman Shumpert.

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The Savannah Bananas, a minor league baseball team, are attempting to completely change the way baseball is played and experienced in America. Here’s a look at how they’re doing it.

Okay, so here’s something interesting. Derek Hough, you know, the six-time “Dancing with the Stars” champ who’s now judging, might have accidentally hinted at a major surprise back in March. He was at a Savannah Bananas baseball game and started a dance performance by tossing a tiny mirrorball to Val Olson, who just kind of gave a ‘who, me?’ shrug to the camera. It definitely felt like a little Easter egg for fans, and now everyone’s buzzing about what it could mean!

I’m really excited to see this athlete transition from baseball to ballroom dancing! Derek Hough posted a fun message saying he’s looking forward to seeing home runs become leading roles and fastballs turn into fancy footwork. Hough jokingly hopes he doesn’t stumble on the dance floor, but figures if he can dodge a 90-mile-per-hour pitch, he can definitely handle a quickstep. It’s a charming sentiment and a clever way to express confidence in his ability to adapt to this new challenge.

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2026-05-14 00:01