KOHLER — To err is human, forgiveness divine.

For Kohler/Falls/Lutheran swimmer Annie Devine is glad her mother pushed her to continue swimming by correcting a mistake she made, so no forgiveness was necessary.

The now senior wasn’t going to swim in high school after stopping swimming during Covid, but she was maternally pushed into the proverbial deep end.

“My mom forced me to swim my freshman year and I loved it,” Devine said. “From the first week, I enjoyed it. I’m glad she made me.

Devine, the 2024 Lakeshore Elite Female Swimmer of the Year, finished third in the WIAA Division 2 Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships last month in the 100-yard butterfly and finished his tri-op career with several records.

Lakeshore Elite is a region-wide team made up of schools from Manitowoc and Sheboygan counties.

She holds the program and Kohler pool record in the 100 butterfly while helping set pool records in the 200 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay.

“Amazing,” Kohler/Falls/Lutheran coach Jessica Ott said of Devine. “She had such an incredible season. She took her role as captain seriously.

Ott said without Devine, the team wouldn’t have made a relay trip — the 200 and 400 freestyles and 200 medley — and won state medals.

“She was crucial,” Ott said. “The 100 fly is her baby, but without her we don’t have these relays. She made them fight together as one.

That all changed, Devine said, when the captains were forced to lead practice early in the season due to an on-duty teacher.

“We didn’t have a bond as a team at the time because the season was already a week over,” Devine said. “I didn’t want to be bossy, but it was a great learning experience. It was a balance between doing hard things and having fun at the same time.

It all culminated in Devine’s bronze medal in the 100 fly.

“I still don’t think I can imagine being on the podium,” Devine said. “I’m grateful to have made it this far.”

More women’s athletics: Here are the 5 Manitowoc and Sheboygan WIAA girls basketball teams to watch this season

But what made Devine so special wasn’t the speed she swam or even her leadership according to Ott.

“She has left a really big mark on our team with everything she brings in terms of spirit and energy,” Ott said. “She was planning events outside of training. She will be missed more than anyone can imagine.

For his part, Devine credits Ott and the rest of the coaching staff for fostering such a welcoming environment.

More from Elite Lakeshore: Lakeshore Elite football: POY Bryce Gullixon cemented his legacy as the best RB in Kiel history

“A lot of it comes down to my coaches,” Devine said of what made him successful. “They know how to create a good team atmosphere. I was happy to do hard practices because I was happy with my team.

Now that her high school swimming time is over, she will turn her attention to college when she attends Northern Michigan.

Devine decided NMU was his school of choice before he even dreamed of the possibility of swimming in college, so everything worked out.

“I wanted to go to northern Michigan before I knew I could swim there,” Devine said. “I’m grateful to be doing something I love in a place I want to be.”

Ott says the best for Devine is yet to come.

“I’m super, super excited for her,” Ott said. “She’s going to do an incredible job. Her swimming journey has only just begun.

Contact Tom Dombeck at 920-686-2965 or [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Tom_Dombeck.

This article was originally published on Sheboygan Press: KLF’s Annie Devine, 2024 Lakeshore Elite Female Swimmer of the Year