First Step Athletics
Lightning Clinics

The Complete Showcase Clinic Platform.
Replace Venmo & Clipboards Forever.

Professional registration, real evaluation tools, and report cards that actually reach parents. Every feature below is included. Click any feature to learn more.

Sample Director Dashboard Sample Station Coach View Sample Scout View
Free
Setup
$0/mo
Monthly Fee
2.5%
Platform Fee
🎯
Clinic Directors
Everything you need to run, manage, and profit from your showcase clinic or camp
23 features
Online Registration
Parents register their player online with a clean, mobile-friendly form: player info, parent/emergency contacts, session selection, medical notes, and waiver acceptance. No more Google Forms, Calendly links, or email sign-ups. You get notified for every registration and players see real-time capacity.
Director Parent
Stripe Payments
Stripe-powered checkout replaces Venmo, Zelle, and checks. Parents pay with credit card at registration — you get paid directly to your Stripe account. Lightning never touches your money. Choose whether you absorb Stripe's processing fee or pass it to the customer.
Director Parent
Professional Clinic Page
Your clinic gets a permanent, shareable web page with hero banner, session schedule with live capacity ("X spots left"), college coach bios and program logos, location with map, registration CTA, and waiver info. Replaces the flyer-on-social-media approach with a professional web presence that sells for you.
Director
Session & Station Management
Create multiple sessions with individual time blocks, position focus, pricing, and capacity limits. Define stations within sessions (hitting, pitching, fielding, speed) and assign coaches to each. Build your full clinic schedule in minutes — players select which sessions they want at registration.
Director
Rotation Groups
Assign registered players into rotation groups. The system tracks which group is at which station. Coaches always know who's coming next. Parents can follow along. Advance groups on a schedule or manually from the dashboard when running ahead or behind.
Director Coach
QR Check-In
Every registration generates a unique QR code on the confirmation email. Day-of, scan the QR code or search by name to check players in. Track who's arrived, who's missing, and who's a no-show. Check-in stats update in real time on the director dashboard.
Director
College Coach Invitations
Invite college coaches by email directly from the dashboard. They receive a branded invitation with event details and a link to the coach portal. Coach accounts persist across clinics — once a coach creates an account, they can be invited to any future clinic with one click.
Director
Real-Time Registration Dashboard
See every registration as it comes in: player name, position, age, school, parent info, payment status, and check-in status. Filter by event, payment status, or session. Export to CSV anytime for your own records.
Director
Promo Codes & Discounts
Create promo codes for early bird pricing, sibling discounts, or team deals. Set fixed-dollar or percentage discounts with optional usage limits and expiration dates. Codes are validated at checkout and tracked in your dashboard.
Director
Waiver Collection
Add your liability waiver text to the registration flow. Parents must accept before checkout. Waiver acceptance is timestamped and stored with the registration record — no more paper forms or separate DocuSign links.
Director Parent
Automatic Confirmation Emails
After payment, parents receive a branded confirmation email with event details, session times, QR check-in code, what to bring, and venue directions. Zero manual follow-up required.
Director Parent
CSV Export
Export your full registration list, evaluation data, or check-in records to CSV with one click. Works with Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet tool. Share rosters with coaches or keep your own records offline.
Director
Multi-Session Pricing
Set different prices per session: P&C Only $40, All Skills $80, Both Sessions $100. Each session has its own capacity, time block, and position focus. Parents pick what they want and pay accordingly.
Director
7-Step Evaluation Pipeline
A guided pipeline from raw data to polished report cards: 1) Calculate LAS scores → 2) Generate threshold notes → 3) Create draft evaluations → 4) Coaches review → 5) Finalize → 6) Generate report cards → 7) Push to FSA profiles. Each step has a status indicator and action button. No clipboard notes lost in a bag.
Director
Report Card Generation
Auto-generate professional report cards for every player: aggregated star ratings from all evaluators, LAS score breakdown, college coach comments, recruiting interest flags, and threshold milestones. Parents receive an email with a link to view the full report. No paywall — every report card is free.
Director Parent
Report Card Email Notifications
When report cards are published, parents automatically receive a branded email: "Your evaluation from [Clinic Name] is ready." One click opens the full report card. No logging in, no password — secured by a unique credential token.
Director Parent
FSA Profile Integration
Clinic registrations auto-create free FSA Player Profiles. After the clinic, evaluations are pushed to the player's FSA profile — ratings, coach comments, and recruiting interest all appear on their permanent recruiting profile. Players can build out their profile before the clinic so coaches can learn about them in advance.
Director Player
Printable QR Player Bibs
Print adhesive labels or paper bibs with player name and QR code before the clinic. Coaches scan a player's bib with their phone and the evaluation form opens pre-populated — no searching through player lists. Works with standard label printers.
Director Coach
Clinic Cloning
Save your entire clinic configuration — sessions, stations, rubrics, pricing, waiver text — as a template. "Clone for next year" pre-fills everything. Update the dates and capacity, and you're live. Reduces repeat-event setup from 30 minutes to 2 minutes.
Director
Age Group Restrictions
Set minimum and maximum age limits for your clinic or individual sessions. Date of birth is collected at registration and verified against your age requirements. No more showing up to find a 10-year-old in a 14U showcase.
Director
Capacity Management
Set max capacity per session or for the entire clinic. The registration page shows live availability ("12 of 40 spots filled"). When a session fills, registration automatically closes — no more manually tracking headcount or turning people away at the door.
Director
Configurable Evaluation Rubrics
Customize the dimensions coaches evaluate: arm strength, bat speed, fielding, speed, game awareness, coachability, overall projection — or define your own. Add position-specific rubrics (pitchers: velocity, spin, command; catchers: pop time, blocking, framing). Set 1–5 star or 20–80 scale.
Director Coach
Drill Timer & Rotation Controls
Set rotation duration and control the countdown from your dashboard. Start, pause, advance early, or reset rotations with one tap. Every coach sees a live timer on their phone: time remaining, current station, and what's next. No more shouting across the field or checking your watch.
Director
🎓
College Coaches
Pre-event prep, day-of evaluation tools, and persistent recruiting pipeline
22 features
Persistent Coach Accounts
College coaches get permanent accounts that persist across clinics — not per-event throwaways. One login, all your evaluations, all your clinics. Linked to your college program profile with institution, division, conference, and recruiting preferences.
Coach
Pre-Event Roster Access
See the full roster of registered players before the clinic: names, positions, ages, schools, grad years. Pre-flag players to watch so you know exactly who to look for at each station. No more showing up blind.
Coach
Player Watchlist
Flag players before or during the clinic: add notes, mark priority, and build your watch list. Your watchlist persists after the clinic ends and feeds into the recruiting interest pipeline.
Coach
Mobile-First Evaluation Form
Thumb-friendly evaluation cards designed for standing in a field with a phone. Large tap targets for star ratings, auto-save on every change, ~5 minutes per player. Tap the player's QR bib or select from the rotation list. Rate, note, flag, next.
Coach
Interest Flagging
Flag your recruiting interest for each player: None, Monitor, Follow Up, High Interest, or Offer Track. Interest levels are aggregated on the report card — parents see "3 programs flagged Follow Up" without seeing which programs. Coaches control what's shared.
Coach
Voice-to-Text Notes
Tap the microphone and speak your evaluation notes — they're transcribed in real time using the browser's built-in speech recognition. Hands-free note-taking while watching a player hit or field. Edit the transcription before saving.
Coach
Measurables Entry
Record raw measurements directly in the evaluation: velocity, 60-yard time, pop time, exit velo, bat speed, shuttle run. Each measurement is tagged with the recording method (manual, radar gun, speed tracker) and feeds directly into the LAS scoring engine.
Coach
Intra-Program Sharing
All coaches from the same college program see each other's evaluations in real time. Your recruiting coordinator sees a unified view across all coaches from your program, all from one dashboard. No more comparing clipboard notes in the parking lot.
Coach
Draft Evaluation Review
After the clinic, AI generates draft evaluations (strengths, development areas, projections) from raw data. Coaches review each note: approve, reject, edit, or skip. Nothing goes on a report card without a college coach signing off. Your professional judgment controls the output.
Coach
Free-Text Observations
Add your own written observations for any player: strengths, development priorities, or general notes. Categorize as strength, development, or general. Your notes appear attributed to your program on the final report card.
Coach
Cross-Clinic History
See all your evaluations across every Lightning clinic you've attended — in one dashboard. Track how a player has developed across multiple clinics. "I saw her last summer at 58 mph — she's throwing 63 now." All from one login.
Coach
Recruiting Match Score
Your program's "looking for" preferences (positions, grad years, GPA min, state) are compared against each player's registration data. See an instant match percentage on your evaluation dashboard: "87% match — right position, in-state, above GPA threshold." Focus your time on the players who fit.
Coach
Recruiting Questionnaire Link
When you flag a player as "Follow Up" or higher, the system can send the player's parent a link to your program's recruiting questionnaire. The parent is notified through FSA — not directly to the minor. Track response status: pending, viewed, started, completed.
Coach Parent
6 Months Free Coach Pro on FSA
Every college coach who evaluates at a Lightning clinic gets 6 months of free Coach Pro access on FSA Athletics — search player profiles, send recruiting messages, verify stats. After the trial, continue at $60/year or lose access. Your clinic evaluations and player connections persist either way.
Coach
Photo & Video Capture
Snap photos or record 15–30 second video clips directly from the evaluation form. Media is auto-tagged to the player and attached to their evaluation. Captured using browser-native APIs — no app download required.
Coach
Station Preferences
Before the clinic, select which stations you'd prefer to evaluate at: hitting, pitching, fielding, catching, speed, or agility. The director sees your preferences and assigns you accordingly. Arrive knowing exactly where you'll be.
Coach
Coach Check-In
Coaches check in on arrival via the dashboard or QR code. Directors see which coaches have arrived and which are no-shows. The roster of attending coaches updates on the public clinic page so parents know who's evaluating.
Coach Director
Quick-Rate Mode
Swipe through players one at a time with large 48px star tap targets — designed for standing on the field with one hand on your phone. Auto-saves on every rating change (no submit button needed). “Save & Next” advances to the next player automatically. Progress indicator shows “Player 8 of 23.”
Coach
Speed Tracker (Video Timing)
Frame-accurate video timing replaces stopwatch guesswork. Upload or record video, play in slow motion (0.1x–1.0x), step frame-by-frame, and mark Start/End points. The system auto-calculates elapsed time at sub-centisecond accuracy. Supports 30/60/120fps with auto-detection. Results feed directly into the LAS scoring engine as “Video-Verified” measurements.
Coach
Player Comparison (Side-by-Side)
Select any two players from the roster and compare them side-by-side: aggregated star ratings, measurables, LAS scores, and recruiting interest. Each dimension highlights which player scores higher. Built for coaches deciding between two similar prospects at the same position.
Coach
Spray Chart
Tap a baseball diamond diagram per swing to record hit direction (pull/center/opposite) and trajectory (ground/line/fly/popup). Color-coded dots build a visual spray pattern in real time. Optional exit velo per swing. After 10–15 swings, the player has a complete spray chart attached to their evaluation and report card.
Coach
Drill Timer & Rotation Alerts
Directors set rotation duration and start the countdown. Every coach’s dashboard shows a live timer: time remaining, current station, and “Next up” preview. Visual and vibration alerts at 60 seconds and when time expires. Directors can pause, advance early, or reset at any time.
Coach Director
The Problem We Solve
Every clinic flyer we analyzed uses Calendly, Google Forms, Venmo/Zelle, and clipboard evaluations that never reach parents. Lightning replaces all of it with one professional platform — and the evaluations actually get to the families.
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Scoring & Analytics
LAS scoring engine, threshold detection, and AI-powered evaluations
10 features
LAS — Lightning Athletic Score
A 0–10 composite athletic score inspired by the NFL Combine's RAS. Position-relative (catchers scored against catcher benchmarks), age-relative (13-year-olds compared to 13-year-olds), and partial-data tolerant (works with 3+ metrics). Gives players, parents, and coaches a single number that contextualizes raw measurables.
Everyone
Position-Specific Weights
LAS uses position-specific composite weights: a pitcher's score is 65% arm, 20% speed, 15% power. An outfielder's is 30% speed, 30% arm, 20% power, 20% agility. A slapper's score weights speed at 40% — because that's what makes slappers elite. Separate weight tables for softball and baseball.
Everyone
Success Threshold Notes
The system automatically detects when a player's metrics hit D1, D2, D3, or JUCO recruiting thresholds. 5 note types: Milestone ("meets D1 threshold"), Standout ("top 5% at this clinic"), Close Call ("0.2 sec from D2 threshold"), Development ("below target"), and Improvement ("gained 5 mph since last clinic").
Everyone
AI Draft Evaluations
Two tiers of auto-generated evaluations: Template-based (instant, from threshold notes + LAS data) and LLM-powered (narrative projections via Groq AI). The AI drafts strengths, development areas, and a projection sentence — then coaches review and approve before anything is published. AI assists. Coaches decide.
Everyone
Return Player Tracking
If a player attends multiple Lightning clinics, the system tracks their progression over time. "Arm Strength: 3.2 → 3.8 → 4.2 across 3 clinics." Huge value for parents proving development and for coaches tracking growth trajectories.
Everyone
Self-Improving Benchmarks
LAS benchmarks are seeded from published showcase data (Perfect Game, OneSoftball, Rapsodo) and automatically improve as real clinic data accumulates. After 50+ measurements for a metric/position/age, the system updates percentile tables with actual data. Your clinic data makes the scoring more accurate over time.
Everyone
13 Tracked Metrics
Speed: 60-yard dash, 20-yard dash, home-to-first, home-to-home. Power: exit velocity, bat speed, throw distance. Arm: throw velocity, pitch velocity, pop time. Agility: 5-10-5 shuttle, fielding exchange, transfer time. Each metric knows its direction — timed metrics are inverted so faster = higher score.
Everyone
Skills Leaderboard
See the top-ranked players per metric at each clinic: fastest 60-yard, hardest exit velo, best pop time. Leaderboards update in real time as measurements are recorded. Great for competitive energy at the clinic and for coaches quickly identifying standouts.
Everyone
Confidence Indicators
Every LAS score shows how much data backs it up. "LAS 7.65 (6/13)" means 6 of 13 possible metrics were measured. Full confidence requires 6+ metrics from 2+ categories. Partial scores (3–5 metrics) are flagged. Under 3 metrics = unranked. No misleading numbers.
Everyone
Batch Processing
Directors can batch-calculate LAS scores, generate threshold notes, and create draft evaluations for all players at an event with one click. No need to process players individually. The pipeline handles 50+ players in seconds.
Director
Players & Parents
Registration, report cards, recruiting pipeline, and profile building
10 features
4-Step Registration
A clean, guided registration: 1) Player info (name, DOB, position, school) → 2) Parent/emergency contacts → 3) Session selection → 4) Payment. Waiver acceptance and medical notes included. Mobile-friendly. Takes under 5 minutes.
Parent
Instant Confirmation + QR
After payment, parents receive an immediate confirmation email with event details, session times, venue directions, what to bring, and a unique QR code for day-of check-in. No guessing whether registration went through.
Parent
Free Report Card
Every player gets a professional report card after the clinic — no paywall, no upsell. Aggregated star ratings from all evaluators, LAS score with category breakdown, coach comments, threshold milestones, and recruiting interest summary. Emailed directly to the parent.
Parent Player
College Recruiting Interest
Report cards show how many programs flagged your player: "3 programs flagged Follow Up, 1 flagged High Interest." When a coach sends a recruiting questionnaire, the parent is notified through FSA. The recruiting pipeline doesn't end when the clinic does.
Parent
Auto-Created FSA Profile
Clinic registration automatically creates a free FSA Player Profile. After the clinic, all evaluations, ratings, and recruiting interest appear on the player's permanent recruiting profile. The profile becomes a living document that grows with every clinic attended.
Player
Cross-Clinic Progress
Attend multiple Lightning clinics and see your development tracked over time. Your FSA profile shows a progress chart: ratings, measurables, and LAS scores across clinics. Prove to college coaches that you're getting better, not just saying it.
Player Parent
Division-Level Context
Report cards don't just give you numbers — they tell you what the numbers mean. "Pop time of 1.85 sec meets the D2 recruiting threshold." "Exit velocity of 68 mph is 2 mph from the D1 threshold." Parents finally understand where their player stands in the recruiting landscape.
Parent
Credential-Token Access
Report cards are accessed via a unique, secure token link — no login required. Click the link in your email and see the full report instantly. Share the link with family, travel coaches, or private instructors. Each link is unique to the player.
Parent
Post-Clinic Survey
24 hours after the clinic, parents receive a "How was your experience?" email. Positive responses auto-feed testimonials on the clinic page (with approval). Negative responses go to the organizer privately. Continuous improvement built in.
Parent
Mobile-First Everything
Registration, check-in, report cards, and the clinic directory are all designed mobile-first. Parents register from the bleachers. Coaches evaluate from the field. Directors manage from anywhere. No app download — everything runs in the browser.
Everyone
🎯
Recruiting Pipeline
The clinic ends, but the recruiting doesn't
5 features
5-Level Interest Scale
Coaches flag players on a 5-level scale: None, Monitor, Follow Up, High Interest, Offer Track. Interest data aggregates across all coaches from the same program into a unified recruiting coordinator view. Parents see the count, not the names, until a coach reaches out.
Coach Parent
Questionnaire Distribution
Coaches can send their program's recruiting questionnaire to interested players' parents — through the platform, not directly to the minor. Track who's viewed it, who's started it, and who's completed it. All communication goes through the parent.
Coach Parent
FSA Profile Push
Clinic evaluations are pushed to the player's FSA Athletics profile via secure HMAC-authenticated API. Ratings, comments, and recruiting interest all land on their permanent recruiting profile. Coaches on FSA can find and message the player's parent year-round.
Everyone
Parent Notification System
When a coach flags interest or sends a questionnaire, the parent is notified — not the player. All recruiting communication goes through adults. This is a safety-first design for a platform that serves minors.
Parent
Coach Pro Trial
College coaches get 6 months of free Coach Pro access on FSA after evaluating at a clinic. Search player profiles, send recruiting messages, verify stats — all from FSA. The clinic is the top of the funnel. FSA is the long-term recruiting tool.
Coach
Request Your Own Feature
No other platform builds features on demand. Your clinic is unique — tell us what you need and we build it into your platform. Position-specific camps, custom rubrics, multi-day events — we've got you.
Ready to run a real clinic?
Free setup. $0/month. 2.5% platform fee. Report cards that actually reach parents.
(443) 996-6563