St. Michael-Albertville sophomore Emma Lezer is no stranger to the Minnesota State Swim Meet. Lezer has competed in the meet every year since seventh grade, but this year marked a huge achievement : a state championship title. Only the second individual to place first for her school in the pool.
Lezer won first place in the 100-meter breaststroke and took second place in the 100-meter fly at last month’s state meet, which took place Nov. 17-18 at the University of Minnesota.
“She is just dynamo,” Superintendent Dr. Ann-Marie Foucault said. “I was so impressed.”
Lezer has been swimming since she was 8 years old, when she joined the Sea Devils Swim Team. Her parents, Tisha and Trent, were both high school swimmers, and Emma and her older brother, Max, soon followed in their footsteps.
Besides the 100-meter breaststroke and 100-meter fly, she also favors the 200 IM and enjoys relays as well. She said her teammates and coaches are her favorite parts about being a swimmer.
“The teammates make it really fun,” she said, “and the coaches are always nice.”
Lezer said she loves the swimming traditions of having a steak dinner at her coach’s house the evening before the state race. The team also makes tie blankets together, which keep them warm on bus rides to and from meet.
“At the state meet, I just like how high-energy it is and how supportive everyone is,” Lezer said.
STMA swimming fans will have two more years to cheer Lezer on as a Knight, and she also has some goals for herself in those upcoming seasons. First, she’d like to defend her state title and also win the state championship in the 100-meter fly. She’d said she’d also like to beat the AA state record, which she missed by only .3 seconds this year. Although the school’s swimming season is over, Lezer will continue to work toward those goals as part of the Sea Devils team, for which she competes year-round.
“Emma is an outstanding representative of our girls’ swim program,” Athletic Director Brian Benson said. “She has worked very hard in the program and she certainly has demonstrated, in so many different ways, character, hard work, dedication and commitment. That all just came together at this year’s state girl’s swim meet when she finished first and second in two of the individual events.”