Washington HS athletics combines the recruiting-dense Puget Sound public schools with smaller programs across eastern Washington, all governed by WIAA. Lightning for Schools is built for WIAA athletic directors: FERPA-compliant student-data handling, 10 included coach seats plus low-cost extras, and a recruiting portal integration that matches the recruiting volume of WA HS sports.
Built for WIAA
Governing Body
Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA)
Member-school eligibility rules, classification, and championship workflows shape what an athletic department needs from its software. Lightning for Schools is configured to support WIAA-aligned workflows out of the box — not generic NFHS templates that don't map to your state's specifics. Reference:
www.wiaa.com.
Compliant with FERPA + Washington student data privacy standards
Student Data Privacy
FERPA + Washington student data privacy standards
Student-athlete records in Washington public schools are governed by FERPA plus Washington's student data privacy provisions (RCW 28A.604) and general data-security standards. Vendors handling WA student-athlete data must meet FERPA's third-party handling requirements. 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 Washington athletic directors actually deal with
- Washington's WIAA (Washington Interscholastic Activities Association — distinct from Wisconsin's WIAA which shares the acronym) operates 9 districts with substantial autonomy — Puget Sound football brackets (Bellevue, Eastside Catholic, Kennedy Catholic, Lakes) operate differently from Eastern Washington brackets.
- Eastern Washington vs Puget Sound travel imbalance drives substantial scheduling and budget complexity for ADs running state-tournament programs — cross-state-tournament travel can mean 4-6 hour drives or charter flights for some matchups.
- Bellevue Wolverines (multi-time state football champion run from late 2000s through 2010s) and Eastside Catholic produced national recruiting visibility — operational logistics at those programs differ from typical WIAA programs.
- Washington's sanctioned HS sports include rowing (crew) and snowboarding alongside more typical sports — operational scope broader than most state HSAAs.
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 + Washington student data privacy 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 Washington
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:
Seattle metro
Tacoma area
Bellevue area
Spokane area
Vancouver area
Tri-Cities
Talk to Christian directly
I'm the founder. Washington 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.