BUTLER TWP — Four weeks before the 2015-16 basketball season opener, Dorothea Epps resigned as Butler High School girls basketball coach.

Epps guided the Golden Tornado to the WPIAL playoffs seven times in her 12 years as head coach. She won 159 total games, 85 section games, three consecutive section titles and had only four losing seasons.

She sent numerous girls on to play college ball and served Butler as a varsity assistant coach for eight years before becoming head coach.

But she resigned after many months of controversy. Some coaches and athletes say this shows the influence parents now have over high school sports.

An investigation was launched this year based on parental complaints, but no wrongdoings were found. By a 6-2 school board vote in June, Epps was allowed to continue as coach.

The board in January hired an attorney to investigate allegations against Epps after parents of basketball players spoke about her at a board meeting.

After that meeting, the board met in executive session with parents, students and the coach on at least three occasions.

The board supported Epps after the athletic committee reviewed the report of the independent counsel. More than 23 people were interviewed.

In a June 16 story, athletic director Bill Mylan said the investigation “did not find any truth behind the allegations that were thrown out there. In the end, it was in the best interest of the program to retain Coach Epps.”

Also in that June 16 story, Epps said of her detractors, “I didn’t even recognize the person they were making me out to be. I was painted like a criminal. Those parents were being selfish.

“If they had put as much time and support into aiding their daughters’ development as they did in trying to get me fired, we wouldn’t have had to go through any of this.”

Five months later, she resigned for, in her words, “personal reasons.”

But other coaches and athletes have other words. They talked about Epps’ resignation and the influence parents of players have over coaches.

“Sports teach kids so much more than a game,” said Joe Marak, a Butler Basketball Parents Club member who has had daughters in the girls basketball program. “They help develop character, confidence, discipline, structure and how to respect authority, help prepare them to enter the work force.

“Now it’s all about the side issues, about my kid should start, this and that ... It’s everywhere, not just Butler. Coaches don’t have much of a chance anymore.”

Former Butler girls volleyball coach Meghan Lucas described coaches as “easy targets” these days.

“(Coaches) have to stand on their own amidst the false allegations trumped up by parents who can’t deal with their own children’s shortcomings,” Lucas said.

“Kids are going to lose, may have to fight for a position and may even have to sit the bench. That should be motivation for them to get better, but it’s not.

“It’s always ‘the coach’s fault.’ Coaches can’t coach anymore ... period. I played sports my entire life. My parents never spoke to the coach other than at the banquet, when they shook hands and said thank you.”

However, Epps said she is grateful for her time at Butler.

“Over the years, I have had many hard-working young ladies, too many to name, that were dedicated not only to themselves, but to the entire team” she said in a written statement.

“We beat teams we weren’t supposed to beat because of their no-quit attitudes and their sheer desire to win. Those teams never worried about who scored, whose name was in the paper and they never quit on each other. They had each other’s back at all times. That’s what good teams are made of!”

Mylan declined to comment for this story.

Dana Petruska, now in her second stint as Mars girls basketball coach, served as an assistant to Epps for a year at Butler.

Petruska said, “She developed strong individual women. She was always proud of who they became after they left her program.

“Dorothea could have jumped to other programs — she easily could have done that — but that’s not who she is. She chose to take the talent she has, develop it and go into battle with it.”

Petruska added that “a little complaint or question can be blown into something ridiculous,” including a coach yelling at a player.

“Yes, sometimes coaches yell,” she said. “But I’m not yelling at you. It’s constructive criticism. It’s part of somebody correcting what you’re doing. That’s my job, to make you better. But today, it seems everybody wants the silver spoon.”

Amy Achesinski, former Butler and Mercyhurst University basketball standout, admitted “it’s difficult for a coach to be a coach anymore.”

“As players, we all trusted in her, believed in her,” Achesinski said of Epps. “I don’t know how much of that still goes on.”

Epps served as an assistant to Jonna Burke for eight years at Butler. When Burke left to coach at her alma mater, Bethel Park, Epps took over as head coach of the Golden Tornado.

The two have remained close friends over the years and have coached against each other.

Burke said, “I’m not surprised at all (that Epps resigned) with all of the stress she was under. In her best interests, it was the right thing to do. She wasn’t happy anymore. It’s a sad thing, what coaches have to deal with today.

“If a parent feels the child isn’t getting enough playing time, instead of encouraging the child to work harder and give it your best, it’s let’s try to get rid of the coach.”

Former New Castle coach LuAnn Grybowski said she and Epps are “from the old school. We want to win, but would never compromise our integrity to do that.

“She just got tired of it. I know parents can be difficult. In this day and age, it’s become entitlement with kids. That’s what parents think. Parents are parents and they love their kids, but it’s going too far.”

Ambridge coach Nikki Santiago said all coaches struggle with not playing kids.

“We hate not playing kids. It really bothers us, but everybody can’t play,” she said. “The competitive side of it is that everybody wants to win and coaches are expected to win. That’s high school basketball.

“Dorothea put in a ton of time. She raised money for the kids, raised money for the boosters. She coached AAU. She worked through the summer. It was never-ending for her ... Sometimes, it just doesn’t matter.”

Seneca Valley coach Rob Lombardo described Epps’ situation at Butler as “a strange thing.”

“It’s just today’s society, the world of entitlement we live in,” he said.

But he added, “She won’t be out of coaching long.”

Butler graduate Erica Miller said that “without hesitation, Dorothea Epps had the greatest impact on my life.

“To be a great coach, one must not only serve as a mentor on the court, but also and more importantly, off the court. Through the love of basketball, she taught us the importance of working hard, determination and teamwork.”