Jordan Chiles’ run on Dancing With The Stars was more than just a fan-favorite storyline. She came in third in the finale, and her story quickly became an inspiration. The Olympian began the season with sharp criticism from the judges, and week after week, she kept on impressing the fans and judges with her improvements. And that can only come through intense practice sessions. So, how did a full-time student athlete manage to take out time for her practice? 

The response came from her coach, Janelle McDonald, during her recent appearance on the All Things Gymnastics podcast. According to the UCLA head coach, the key to Chiles’ success was restructuring her academic setup. That gave her the flexibility she needed to rise on the DWTS stage. And it all began with UCLA offering her an all-online program. 

“We decided to have her do like an all-online school program. At first, it wasn’t looking like that. And then, as she kind of started looking at putting the schedule together, we kind of were like, I think it’s probably best if you give yourself this grace and like actually just do online school in the fall.” 

With her coursework shifted fully online, Jordan Chiles was able to carve out pockets of time between rehearsals to stay on top of school without burning out. And DWTS was pretty accommodating as well. Chiles’ mornings were packed with gymnastics. And in the evenings, dance practice with Ezra Sosa used to keep her busy. The rest of the time was saved for schoolwork. 

However, the real challenge came in the couple of weeks before the finale. And Coach McDonald could tell that Chiles was getting stressed. Dance practice took up a few hours more than usual. But UCLA had Chiles’ best interests in mind. 

“We kind of took a little bit off her plate gymnastics-wise, kind of shortened her schedule a little bit just to be able to focus on that and give it her all through the finale.” 

And once the DWTS season wrapped up, Jordan Chiles bounced back to her old schedule. The gymnastics star’s aim is set on Meet The Bruins, the annual preseason exhibition for the UCLA Bruins. Needless to say, watching Chiles manage everything well was an inspiring story for many, including her head coach. 

But it’s her competitive mindset that pushed her through the tough challenges. 

Jordan Chiles gets honest about her balance between DWTS and college athletics

Chiles’ mindset certainly did the heavy lifting. As one of America’s top gymnasts, Chiles faced off against some of the toughest opponents. She even faced a setback at the 2024 Paris Olympics when the International Olympic Committee decided to reallocate the bronze medal to Ana Barbosu, leaving Chiles without an individual medal. Yet, the UCLA star continued to grow. 

In an interview with Good Morning America, Chiles revealed, “Honestly, that’s where the athlete mindset come in the play.” 

According to her, the happiest place for her was to be able to walk into the ballroom and do something outside of the UCLA gymnastics program. And to do that as a full-time college student and athlete, her skills truly shone through. 

Top Stories

‘NASCAR on Sale’: Team Owners Interested to Buy Out France Family With $5B Price Tag

Lane Kiffin to Poach Ole Miss QB & Replace Garrett Nussmeier – Report

J. J. Watt Confirms Stance on Controversial R. J. Mickens Incident in Chargers vs Eagles

Notre Dame Captains Refused to Take Field as AD Announces Consequences With ACC

Who Is Matthew Campbell’s Wife Erica? All About Iowa State HC’s Sixth Grade Sweetheart

Kyle Busch Hits Rock Bottom as Snowball Derby Nightmare Sparks Wave of Fan Sympathy

“I represent, you know, being a businesswoman as well, but I think, its really just the dedication. Once I put my mind and grit to something, that’s really where everything shift.”

Chiles’ journey proves that with discipline, structure, and an unshakeable mindset, even the most demanding schedules can be conquered. ‘The help from both UCLA and DWTS was essential to her success. Yet, her story will continue to inspire.