DC HS athletics combines DCPS public schools governed by DCSAA with a dense private and parochial network spanning the DC Catholic Athletic Conference, Mid-Atlantic Conference, and Independent Athletic Conference. Lightning for Schools is built for DC athletic directors: FERPA-compliant student-data handling, 10 included coach seats plus low-cost extras, and a recruiting portal integration matched to DC HS recruiting density.
Built for DCSAA
Governing Body
District of Columbia State Athletic Association (DCSAA)
Member-school eligibility rules, classification, and championship workflows shape what an athletic department needs from its software. Lightning for Schools is configured to support DCSAA-aligned workflows out of the box — not generic NFHS templates that don't map to your state's specifics. Reference:
dcsaasports.org.
Compliant with FERPA + DC data protection standards
Student Data Privacy
FERPA + DC data protection standards
Student-athlete records in DC public schools are governed by FERPA plus the District of Columbia's data security and breach-notification requirements. Vendors handling DC student-athlete data must meet FERPA's third-party handling requirements and demonstrate reasonable security practices. Lightning's data-handling practices are built to meet these requirements; a vendor that can't speak to your state's privacy framework should not be on your shortlist.
What District of Columbia athletic directors actually deal with
- DC sports span multiple parallel governance bodies: DCSAA governs DCPS (public schools), WCAC (Washington Catholic Athletic Conference) governs Catholic schools (Gonzaga, DeMatha, St. John's, O'Connell, Carroll), MAC (Mid-Atlantic Conference) governs other independent schools (Sidwell Friends, Maret, Georgetown Day School), and IAC (Independent Athletic Conference) governs additional independents.
- WCAC basketball is one of the top HS basketball recruiting conferences in the country — Gonzaga, DeMatha, St. John's College HS regularly produce top-100 national recruits and draw Power 5 + NBA-pipeline attention year-round.
- DC government contracting requirements layer additional compliance scrutiny on vendor practices for DCPS programs — DC procurement is distinct from typical state-level HSAA procurement processes.
- Limited DC public-school football roster sizes vs WCAC private-school programs create competitive imbalance that DCSAA has historically struggled to address — DC public-school football operates in a different competitive tier than WCAC opponents.
What Lightning for Schools includes
10 coach seats included
Flat $150/yr base includes 10 full coach seats. Need more for a big multi-sport department? Add extra seats anytime at 50% of the coach-tier price.
Roster + eligibility
Per-sport, per-season roster management with eligibility tracking, transfer documentation, and out-of-season practice limits.
Recruiting portal integration
Your student-athletes' Lightning profiles roll into a searchable college-coach portal — recruiting attention without leaving the AD platform.
DPA-compliant data handling
Aligned with FERPA + DC data protection standards requirements. Documentation available for your district's procurement review.
Stat verification
Coach Verified and Tournament Verified stats flow into the recruiting layer automatically. Reduces manual roster-update workload for AD staff.
Multi-season scheduling
Fall / winter / spring sport scheduling in one tool — facility allocation, transportation requests, official assignments.
Built for athletic departments across District of Columbia
We're looking for our first partner departments in the state. If you're an AD in one of these areas and want to talk through a pilot:
DCPS schools
DC Catholic Athletic Conference
Mid-Atlantic Conference (MAC)
Independent Athletic Conference (IAC)
Talk to Christian directly
I'm the founder. District of Columbia athletic directors who want to talk through a pilot or just get specific questions answered can reach me directly: [email protected] or (443) 996-6563.