GAME ON

Lake Forest High School Foundation lands 1998 graduate and multiple award-winning sport journalist Sarah Spain to serve as the keynote speaker of its “Celebrating Educational Excellence” luncheon on May 1.

TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETES in the heptathlon have to jump, hurdle, throw, and dash.

When former Cornell University heptathlete and three-sport Lake Forest High School (LFHS) athlete Sarah Spain was approached by the LFHS Foundation to address its spring luncheon this year, she summoned one of her numerous athletic skills—albeit figuratively. Spain jumped at the opportunity.

“Sarah said yes without hesitation, graciously willing to support her alma mater,” says Lesley Fisher, LFHS Foundation vice chair, alumni relations. “She has achieved so much. We can’t think of a better individual to entertain and inspire our guests.”

Spain (LFHS, Class of 1998) has worked for ESPN in a slew of capacities; launched “Good Game with Sarah Spain” in mid-2024, the first-ever daily women’s podcast and a nominee for “Best Sports Podcast” at the 2025 Ambies Awards for Excellence in Audio; co-wrote the 2025 book Runs in the Family with Las Vegas Raiders running backs coach Deland McCullough; and covered the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics for her podcast in February.

She was honored at the 2025 iHeartPodcast Awards with the Social Impact Award for her work championing equity in sports coverage, equal pay for female athletes, and investment in women’s sports. She has received Emmy and Peabody awards, too.

Spain will speak at the LFHS Foundation’s “Celebrating Educational Excellence” luncheon at Knollwood Club on May 1. The foundation is dedicated to supporting, enriching, and enhancing the educational experience for all LFHS students, faculty, and staff by investing in educational excellence.

Since 2002, the LFHS Foundation has awarded more than 360 grants totaling over $3.1 million.

“My talk will be mostly about my upbringing in Lake Forest and my career,” says Spain, who competed in track and field, basketball, and field hockey as an LFHS Scout in the 1990s. “My teachers and my coaches got me in position to find success, and for that I will always be grateful. Multitasking in high school—in academics, in athletics, in other activities—gave me confidence, helped me realize, ‘OK, I can handle a heavy workload.'”

Her parents, Rick and Nancy, work together as lawyers. In raising Sarah, they acquitted themselves quite well.

“They stressed academics and were interested in making sure I experienced life beyond Lake Forest,” says Spain, who lives in Wicker Park with her husband, Brad Zibung. “I understood the privilege it was to grow up in a community like Lake Forest. I also knew it would not have been good to see it as a ‘bubble’ and be content with staying in it.”

The ever-busy Spain is especially proud of her podcast. “Good Game with Sarah Spain” is a one-stop shop for the biggest stories in women’s sports. Every day, Spain gives listeners the stories, stakes, stars, and stats to keep up with their favorite women’s teams, leagues, and athletes. Through thoughtful insight, witty banter, and an all-around good time, Sarah and friends break down the latest news, talk about the must-see games, and debate the issues of the day.

“There are thousands and thousands of daily men’s sports podcasts out there, all easy to find,” says Spain, who appeared regularly as a whip-smart, fun-loving panelist on ESPN’s “Around the Horn” show, worked as an ESPN radio host, served as sideline reporter for the Big Ten Network, and has written espnW columns. “With women’s sports podcasts, you have to work hard to find where they’re streaming. I want to change that. ‘Good Game’ is informative, and we have tons of fun with it, just like men’s podcasts do.”

Fisher expects an estimated 200 guests at the luncheon, including alumni representing LFHS classes from the 1950s to the 2000s, as the school nears the end of its 90th anniversary celebration. “The mission of Lake Forest High School is to ‘inspire the passion to learn, the insight to know oneself, and the courage to make a difference,'” Fisher says. “Attendees will walk away with a clear, real-world picture of how this comes to life. They will leave with a deeper pride in Lake Forest High School.”

Visit lfhsfoundation.org for more information.