Olympic medalist Laurie Hernandez is standing by her former teammates who have publicly spoken out and accused disgraced team doctor Larry Nassar of sexual assault, all while hoping her beloved sport can move forward.

“I think the biggest focus is making sure that we can keep our kids safe and that when parents go and let their kids out to gymnastics’ class, they can understand that their kids are going to have a beautiful time when they’re out there,” the 18-year-old told Fox News. “It’s making sure that we’re not pulling the sport away because of an incident that happened.”

Hernandez, who was not one of Nassar’s victims, insisted positive changes will come to gymnastics, especially for aspiring young girls eager to pursue it — just as she once was.

“The big focus is keeping those kids safe, but also allowing them to pursue their passions in the future,” said Hernandez. “Gymnastics is still something that I, as well as my teammates, and the girls that are competing and training at the moment, [something] that we have the opportunity to pursue.”

Back in January, Nassar, the fallen former USA Gymnastics doctor who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting young female athletes, was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison. It was the culmination of a highly publicized seven-day hearing in which more than 150 of Nassar’s victims gave statements detailing the abuse they endured.

The 55-year-old was working at Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics, which trains Olympians, when the sexual abuse took place.

Nassar’s accusers included Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles, all teammates of Hernandez’s.

And while Hernandez still stays in touch with her “dream team,” she’s now focused on the latest chapter of her life — co-hosting “American Ninja Warrior Junior.” The spinoff highlights children from across the country taking on jaw-dropping obstacle courses.

“Having an opportunity to be a part of ‘American Ninja Warrior Junior,’ I took it as soon as I heard about it,” said Hernandez. “It’s a big honor to be a part of this show, especially because the original ‘American Ninja Warrior’ show had a really big following. Having a show for the kids to be able to try out the courses and follow their passions, I get to connect with them. I get to ask them questions and I love that.”

And Hernandez, who started gymnastics when she was just 6 years old because she wanted to know how it felt to fly, shared it’s crucial for children to have role models they can look up to, especially in the era of social media.

“I definitely take it as a really big responsibility to be a role model to kids,” said Hernandez. “I understand and respect the fact that I have a large following on social media and it’s making sure that I can post things that are positive and post things that are kind. Hopefully, I can radiate that energy and more people will be able to accept that and give that to others as well.”

Still, Hernandez didn’t always feel so confident. She admitted that growing up in the public eye meant privately struggling with insecurities, all while embarking on a no-nonsense training regimen.

“That struggle, I mean, it’s not something that magically goes away,” said Hernandez. “[Gymnastics] is all about perfection. We want our routines to be perfect. We want our hair to be perfect, our makeup, but we also want to look perfect. When you’re a kid or a young teen who’s going through puberty or you have an injury and suddenly you stop working out and your body changes, it’s something that messes with your brain a little bit. Especially when the sport calls for perfection.

“It’s really making sure that you can nurture yourself and give yourself time to grow and accept that this is a part of your life, a beautiful part of your life, and you should embrace those changes.”

Hernandez also credited her supportive family for not only encouraging her to pursue her dreams of becoming a gymnast but also being by her side when the Olympics came calling. She would go on to join Team USA for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and became a two-time medalist.

“[This] was always something that I had love,” said Hernandez. “I started the sport because I was passionate about it, not because I wanted anything from it. So… when I was getting a little older, realizing that the Olympics was my goal, [that] was something to keep me motivated. If I was having a rough day, I had my family to push me forward and remind me, ‘You know what? Even if it’s a rough day, it doesn’t mean you’re a bad athlete, so just keep moving forward.’ I think that played a really big role in my career.”

And Hernandez isn’t done with gymnastics. In fact, she’s currently training for the 2020 Olympics after a two-year break.

“I miss it so much right now,” she said. “We are getting back in the groove of things. It’s kind of like wiping the dust off of my shoulders and getting moving again. But next year is really when it’s going to start to get pretty serious, especially during the summer… I’ll be looking forward to that.”

There’s also one other challenge Hernandez is looking forward to embarking on: Hollywood. The star athlete said that, if given the opportunity, she would love to share the screen with Bradley Cooper, Jessica Chastain, Nicole Kidman or Gina Rodriguez.

“Gymnastics was a really big passion from a very young age and we followed that first, and we’re still following that,” said Hernandez. “But after my gymnastics’ career, I would love to be an actress. I think it’s just something that I find exciting. And I like to tell stories.”

"American Ninja Warrior Junior" airs on Universal Kids. Fox News' Lucia Suarez Sang, Katherine Lam and the Associated Press contributed to this report.