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Retiring Putnam AD Daniel Barendse hopes smartphone app will give schools financial boost [The Oregonian, Portland, Ore. :: ](Oregonian (Portland, OR) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) April 02--In 31 years in education, Daniel Barendse has been dedicated to high school athletics. In his retirement, he hopes to give back even more. The Putnam athletic director is one of eight investors for Booster Prep Scores, a smartphone application that provides updates for high school contests with the purpose of generating revenue for school districts. Barendse, who helped hatch the idea last summer, decided in December to retire this year to pursue the venture. The applications went live last month. "It actually came together a lot quicker than I thought it would," Barendse said. "Working the long days here, I don't really have any time to give to it." Smartphone users can download the application for free and follow schools that sign up for the service. Schools pay a fee for the service, provide the updates and sell sponsorships to make money. Barendse compared BPS to the ESPN ScoreCenter app. Scores for varsity contests will be updated by quarter, half, set or inning and pushed to subscribers' phones. "My biggest passion, especially with schools like Putnam where economically it's just been tough athletically, is to get creative financing to keep programs going strong," Barendse said. "This is a great service to do that. We're getting a lot of positive feedback." The company -- which has a website, boosterprepscores.com -- is working with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) to expand nationally. "We're giving a percentage back to each state athletic director association, as well," Barendse said. "It's all directed through NFHS. Our hope is to become the national score center for high schools." Barendse said that several BPS investors have Nike connections, including retired Nike vice president Peter Ruppe, who is the CEO. Barendse said about 10 Oregon high schools have signed up for the service so far, but the big push will come in the fall. "We have not pushed it very hard yet," he said. "We have the state athletic directors conference coming up, and that's going to kind of be our coming-out party with it." Barendse, 53, spent 15 years at Tigard and two at Century before taking over as Putnam's athletic director in 2000. He was the boys basketball coach for 12 seasons at Tigard and six at Putnam (2000-06). "Coming to Putnam in 2000, I had no idea I'd stay for 14 years. It's a great school, great community and great people. It's been a great place to wrap up my career. "It's nice having the vitality to do something a little different after 30-plus years in education. It's been a great ride. It's nice to have the energy to take something new on." Milwaukie athletic director Jesse Eveland, a Putnam graduate, will replace Barendse. -- Jerry Ulmer ___ (c)2014 The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) Visit The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) at www.oregonian.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |