West Virginia HS athletics combines passionate football, basketball, and wrestling cultures with the operational reality of small-staff programs and tight budgets across rural and urban districts. Lightning for Schools is built for WVSSAC athletic directors: FERPA-compliant student-data handling, flat-rate $150/yr pricing that fits WV budget realities, and a straightforward setup that doesn't require dedicated IT staff to maintain.
Built for WVSSAC
Governing Body
West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC)
Member-school eligibility rules, classification, and championship workflows shape what an athletic department needs from its software. Lightning for Schools is configured to support WVSSAC-aligned workflows out of the box — not generic NFHS templates that don't map to your state's specifics. Reference:
www.wvssac.org.
Compliant with FERPA + West Virginia data protection standards
Student Data Privacy
FERPA + West Virginia data protection standards
Student-athlete records in West Virginia public schools are governed by FERPA plus West Virginia's data security and breach-notification requirements (W.Va. Code §46A-2A-101 et seq.). Vendors handling WV 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 West Virginia athletic directors actually deal with
- WVSSAC operates a single statewide structure (no district sub-bodies) — distinct from most states' multi-district approaches and produces statewide tournament brackets that draw from all corners of the state.
- West Virginia HS wrestling — particularly programs like Parkersburg South, Huntington, Wheeling Park — has produced national recruiting visibility despite modest school sizes; WV wrestling state tournament is a defining annual event.
- Eight-man football is sanctioned and competitive in WV's smallest classifications — distinct operational logistics from 11-man football programs, with smaller rosters and different game-administration requirements.
- WVSSAC's cooperative team rules for small schools (especially in football, wrestling, and soccer) generate substantial roster-administration work as schools combine to field teams — co-op rules are heavily used in WV's rural classifications.
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 + West Virginia 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 West Virginia
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:
Charleston area
Morgantown / Monongalia County
Huntington area
Wheeling area
Eastern Panhandle (Martinsburg, Charles Town)
Beckley area
Talk to Christian directly
I'm the founder. West Virginia 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.