Banana Ball Star Jackson Olson Reveals His Nerves as He Faces His Biggest Stage Yet on Dancing with the Stars

The Savannah Bananas star says the biggest television opportunity of his life also brings the biggest challenge. His journey reflects how Banana Ball continues to grow far beyond baseball. By R. Kenner French | Savannah Bananas On SI

Jackson Olson taking photos and signing autographs with fans ahead of banana ball game | R. Kenner French

CHICAGO — Minutes before taking the field at Wrigley Field, Jackson Olson was doing what Savannah Bananas players always seem to do.

He was smiling.

Signing autographs.

Taking photos.

Making time for fans.

I caught up with Olson just before game time and asked the question nearly every Banana Ball fan has been wondering since Disney announced he would join Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars.

“Are you nervous?”

He didn’t hesitate.

“Yes, extremely nervous,” Olson told Savannah Bananas On SI. “But it will be a great experience.”

It was an honest answer.

And perhaps the perfect one.

Because for all the confidence Olson displays in front of sold-out crowds, he’s about to step onto an entirely different stage, one watched by millions of television viewers.

It’s another reminder that Banana Ball has become much more than baseball.

Jackson Olson Isn’t Leaving the Savannah Bananas

R. Kenner French

The biggest question Olson says he’s received from fans has a simple answer.

No.

He’s not leaving Banana Ball.

In a recent TikTok answering fans’ most common questions, Olson explained that his professional Dancing with the Stars partner will actually travel with the Savannah Bananas throughout the season.

That means his schedule will become something few professional athletes or entertainers have ever attempted.

Play Banana Ball.

Travel to the next city.

Rehearse ballroom routines.

Perform live on national television.

Then do it all over again.

“It’ll be the craziest schedule I’ve ever been on,” Olson said.

The Biggest Secret of His Career

Another surprise?

Olson has known for months.

He revealed that conversations with the show began last year and that he officially learned before the 2026 Banana Ball season even started.

Keeping that news quiet proved almost as difficult as preparing for the competition itself.

“It was the hardest secret I’ve ever had to keep,” he said.

While fans watched him dancing, entertaining and interacting with crowds throughout the summer, Olson already knew one of the biggest opportunities of his life was waiting just around the corner.

Why Jackson Olson Makes Perfect Sense for Dancing with the Stars

To people discovering Olson for the first time, his selection may seem unexpected.

To Banana Ball fans, it almost feels inevitable.

Every Banana Ball game demands much more than athletic ability.

Players dance.

Perform comedy.

Interact with thousands of fans.

Think on their feet.

Stay comfortable under pressure.

Smile through unexpected moments.

Connect emotionally with audiences.

Those aren’t traditional baseball skills.

They’re performance skills.

Olson has been developing them every night.

Jesse Cole’s Vision Was Never Just Baseball

Savannah Bananas founder Jesse Cole has often explained that Banana Ball isn’t trying to compete solely with traditional baseball.

Its competition includes concerts.

Broadway.

Disney.

Any experience capable of creating lasting memories.

That philosophy appears throughout the organization.

Games stream free on YouTube.

Every show introduces new entertainment.

Players are encouraged to become personalities as much as athletes.

Winning matters.

Creating joy matters even more.

Olson’s appearance on one of television’s most recognizable entertainment programs feels like another step in that journey.

Millions of New Fans May Now Discover Banana Ball

For years, Banana Ball has grown because fans couldn’t stop sharing it.

One person watches a trick play.

Another sees a dance routine.

Someone else catches a foul ball in the stands.

Videos spread.

Curiosity grows.

Fans become believers.

Now that process may happen in reverse.

Millions of Dancing with the Stars viewers who have never watched Banana Ball could meet Jackson Olson first.

From there, they’ll discover the Savannah Bananas.

Then Banana Ball.

Then perhaps become the next generation of fans.

Storytelling Beyond the Dance Floor

Olson also hinted that the competition will be about much more than learning choreography.

He praised Dancing with the Stars for telling meaningful personal stories through each contestant’s performances.

That raises an intriguing possibility.

Many viewers may think they’re simply watching another celebrity competition.

Instead, they may find themselves introduced to one of the most unique organizations in sports—and the culture that helped produce someone like Olson.

Why This Matters

Jackson Olson’s appearance on Dancing with the Stars is undoubtedly a tremendous personal accomplishment.

But it’s also something larger.

It’s another milestone in Banana Ball’s remarkable evolution from an independent baseball experiment into one of America’s fastest-growing entertainment brands.

Years ago, the idea of a Savannah Bananas player appearing on one of television’s biggest shows would have sounded improbable.

Today, it feels like the natural next chapter.

Most people would be nervous.

But if Banana Ball has taught its fans anything, it’s that unforgettable moments often begin the moment someone is willing to step outside their comfort zone.

This fall, Jackson Olson will do exactly that.

And millions of people may discover Banana Ball because of it.

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