Utah HS athletics runs through UHSAA's six-class structure with Wasatch Front dominating enrollment and recruiting density, two-year realignment cycles, and some schools splitting class assignments across sports. Utah Code 53E-9 requires designated student data managers per LEA. Lightning for Schools is built for UHSAA athletic directors: Utah Code 53E-9-compliant student-data handling and pricing with 10 included coach seats plus low-cost extras.
Built for UHSAA
Governing Body
Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA)
Member-school eligibility rules, classification, and championship workflows shape what an athletic department needs from its software. Lightning for Schools is configured to support UHSAA-aligned workflows out of the box — not generic NFHS templates that don't map to your state's specifics. Reference:
uhsaa.org.
Compliant with Utah Code Title 53E, Chapter 9 (Student Privacy and Data Protection)
Student Data Privacy
Utah Code Title 53E, Chapter 9 (Student Privacy and Data Protection)
Utah Code Title 53E, Chapter 9 — Student Privacy and Data Protection — requires education entities and third-party contractors to protect student data and restricts sharing of personally identifiable student information without written consent (FERPA-aligned exceptions apply). The statute requires each LEA to designate a "student data manager" who serves as the primary local point of contact for the state student data officer. Vendors interact with the district's student data manager during procurement and operations. 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 Utah athletic directors actually deal with
- UHSAA uses six classifications (6A through 1A) with 6A around 17 schools and 5A around 31 schools (as of 2025-27 realignment) — class boundaries shift in two-year alignment cycles. Football regions reflect Wasatch Front geography (American Fork, Corner Canyon, Lehi, Lone Peak, Skyridge in 6A Region 3).
- Wasatch Front (Salt Lake, Davis, Utah, Weber counties) accounts for the bulk of UHSAA enrollment and recruiting density. Schools in southern Utah (Cedar, Crimson Cliffs, Desert Hills, Dixie / St. George area) cluster around their own 4A regions with distinct travel and recruiting realities.
- Some Utah programs split their classification across sports (e.g., Orem competing 5A for football but 4A for other sports) — multi-sport ADs track two postseason brackets simultaneously for the same program.
- Utah Code 53E-9 requires each LEA to designate a "student data manager" — vendors should expect to interact with the named SDM during onboarding and audits. This is a structural difference from states where district IT generically handles vendor relationships.
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 Utah Code Title 53E, Chapter 9 (Student Privacy and Data Protection) 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 Utah
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:
Salt Lake County (Salt Lake / Murray / Sandy / Riverton)
Utah County (Provo / Orem / Lehi / American Fork)
Davis County (Layton / Bountiful)
Weber County (Ogden / Roy)
St. George / Washington County
Cache Valley (Logan)
Talk to Christian directly
I'm the founder. Utah 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.