RV/B’s Lorisa Shatrawka shows dedication in win at state

The River Valley/ Barneveld gymnastics team sent junior Lorisa Shatrawka to Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Association (WIAA) division 2 state competition on Saturday where she came away with a first place on balance beam and second on uneven bars in her third appearance at state. Head coach Julie Kuhse said, “The state meet was quite different this year. The venue was a club gym in La Crosse with an unfamiliar brand of equipment. Competitors were allowed two coaches and three spectators. No teammates, no other support. No march in, no hugs of good luck, no crowd anxiously awaiting the final results and podium reveal.  “I wanted the best state experience we could get during this COVID-19 season, not only for Lorisa, but the team as well. I set up a meeting room in a hotel near the state meet venue for the team to virtually watch the meet. We invited Dodgeville co-op to join us as Brooklyn Murphy competed the same rounds as Lorisa and it worked well for both teams. I appreciate the comradery between the two teams, and how comfortable they are together,” Kuhse continued.   Individual competitors have the liberty at state of choosing a personal leotard to compete in instead of the team leotard. Shatrawka was decked out in a uniquely designed leotard made by Dana Sanftleben and the very first River Valley gymnastics warmup pants and jacket worn by Kuhse’s team in 1977-82.     The week before state, Shatrawka’s practices were focused, and coaches felt she was in the best position to not only defend her 2019 state beam title, but have a shot at this year’s bar title as well.  “We had worked on verbal and mental cues for her to remember the little things in her routines and be more consistent,” Kuhse reported. “Starting on bars, Lorisa completed the skill she struggled with at sectionals. She hit her handstands and nailed her landing. When her score of 9.45 was flashed, we were ecstatic. It was her career high and felt it was a score that would be in contention for the title. Little did we know that her score would change,” Kuhse continued. “Second round was beam. Lorisa was relaxed, having competed so well on bars. She showed off her skill, power, and grace. She was confident and solid. While not her highest score, we felt her 9.2 score would place her, and were happy with her performance. “As we prepared to leave the venue, we noticed that her bar score was again being shown on the screen, lower than originally flashed. After inquiring with the WIAA meet official and the meet referee, we learned that the judges had decided later that the series of skills Lorisa performed on bars did not meet the criteria to receive credit for bonus points they had given her in her routine.  So an hour after her performance, the judges reduced her score by two tenths. Disappointed, we left the meet, concerned as to how this would affect the final outcome.  “Even though we were watching the second session online, no scores were being shown so the final results were a total surprise for us.  Shortly after 8 p.m., the link to the results became active and we found out that she had placed second on bars and her adjusted score would not have made a difference in the final placings. Scrolling down, we found that she had not only placed, but had won the beam competition, defending her 2019 title and becoming the 2021 Division 2 State Beam Champion.  Through phone calls, texts and Snapchat, the news traveled fast and within minutes, the RVB Gymnastics community was congratulating and celebrating virtually together,” Kuhse finished.