WATERTOWN, S.D. — For Watertown High School senior Shauna Evenson, staying busy is a way of life.
A three-sport athlete competing in varsity track, gymnastics, and fall softball, Evenson found her primary passion in gymnastics at age 5, when her mother enrolled her to burn off extra energy.
“My mom just said, ‘You know, get out of the house. You’re a little bit active for me here,’” Evenson said. “And I kind of fell in love with the sport.”
After years in club gymnastics — reaching Level 8 and placing third at a national meet in Florida — Evenson shifted her focus to high school athletics, allowing her to branch out into track and softball.
“High school gymnastics still puts in the work, but it’s not as many hours,” Evenson said. “So the free time kind of felt relaxing. That’s just a new thing that I wanted to try.”
The Watertown gymnastics team finished third at last year’s state meet. Individually, Evenson placed third on floor exercise with a 9.6833 score and finished just outside the top 10 in the all-around at 35.4. Entering her final high school season, she has high expectations for the Arrows.
“We’re coming back strong this year,” Evenson said. “I’m hoping that we can maybe get first place.”
Off the mat, Evenson is campaigning for the Youth Athlete of the Year award, which includes a $25,000 scholarship and representation for 3Brand in Sports Illustrated and on CBS. Supporters can vote online once every 24 hours for free or purchase additional votes through donations starting at $10.
“After every 24 hours, you get one free vote,” Evenson said. “You just kind of keep racking them up.”
Evenson plans to track in college, major in biology, and attend medical school to become a pediatrician.
WTNSports.com 