Jackson Olson Won’t Be Reading The Hot Takes On His ‘DWTS’ Routines [Exclusive]

Jackson Olson Won’t Be Reading The Hot Takes On His DWTS Routines

“I’ve had to stop myself from just endlessly scrolling.”

Jackson Olson has always been a competitive person, but Dancing With the Starsis a whole new ball game for the Savannah Bananas athlete. “I never really planned for how intense this show was going to be,” he says. “There are so many talented people this season, and I’m not the best dancer — not even close to the best dancer — but my hard work and dedication have really shown.”

Before the 2026 Banana Bowl Championship on Oct. 10, the 29-year-old infielder was managing an incredibly hectic schedule, with daily four-hour DWTSrehearsals and constant baseball games. That meant jumping on a plane immediately after taping the live show Tuesdays in Los Angeles and traveling back to Savannah, Georgia. “My cooldown session the last month has been in the airport,” he says. “I go to the airport lounge and sit with my partner, Emma [Slater], and just debrief our day.”

Now that his baseball season has come to an end, Olson is focusing solely on Dancing With the Stars —and just in time for Dedication Night on Oct. 20.He is ready to take home the Mirrorball Trophy, and possibly pick up a few more opportunities along the way. Below, Olson dishes on his self-care, <a t have to be perfect, because people are watching a different guy every minute. But with these rehearsals, it’s just you and your partner.

ED: Walk me through your typical cooldown routine after a rehearsal.

JO:I immediately order food. When I’m eating, I try to relax. Now that I don’t have to cooldown in a busy airport, I’m lucky enough to be able to hang out with my girlfriend, Maggie [Sajak].

ED: What is your typical post-dance food order?

JO: I’m ordering Chipotle almost every time. I’ll order breakfast burritos if we have an early morning rehearsal.

I’m just so thankful and lucky to have this time right now, no matter when it ends.

ED: After getting great scores on Dancing With the Stars, who is the first person that you want to call?

JO: Luckily enough, the first people I want to call are actually with me. My mom, dad, and Maggie are at the live show. We go out to dinner afterwards, and it’s an experience I never knew that any of us were going to have. I’m just so thankful and lucky to have this time right now, no matter when it ends.

ED: Once you’ve eaten and had your debrief, what else is in your unwinding process?

JO: I love bed rotting and watching a TV show. I just got a Nintendo Switch, so I’m getting back into playing video games. I’m playing some Mario Kart and Disney games. That’s really fun when I’m trying to rot as much as possible and just chill out.

ED: Social media is such a huge part of Dancing With the Stars. Do you allow yourself to go on social media to see what the fans are saying?

JO: I try to protect my peace by not going on social media as much as possible. I’ve had to stop myself from just endlessly scrolling, because there are so many different opinions online. Sometimes those opinions will affect your opinions of yourself.

No matter what your scores are, no matter what your reaction is, if you make it to that next week, that’s all you need to worry about.

ED: How do you handle a performance that doesn’t go exactly as planned?

JO: I’ve struggled a lot with moving on from tough baseball games in the past. With these dances, you really do have to let them go and move on, because you have a brand new dance, style, and song that you’ve never done before. No matter what your scores are, no matter what your reaction is, if you make it to that next week, that’s all you need to worry about. You have a brand new week to prove yourself, and that’s the beauty of the show.

ED: You had to fly back and forth a lot this season. What is the one nonnegotiable comfort item that you need to pack?

JO: The one thing I have to have is headphones, so I can listen to music and watch YouTube videos. I watch videos about Disney and park vlogs. My girlfriend and I just booked a Disney Cruise. We’re pumped about that, and then right after that, we’re doing the RunDisney races. We’re all Disney, all the time.

ED: As an athlete, what are your go-to recovery rituals?

JO: I use my Theragun all the time. And I drink cherry juice at night, which is a natural form of melatonin. It doesn’t make you super tired, but it helps with muscle recovery. I also drink electrolytes every morning with my coffee. I do the LMNT or Liquid I.V. The best-tasting ones are the Gatorade ones.