High School coaches quit after being bullied by parents. Seriously.

Coach Ratchford.

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (AP) — Bullying from some players’ parents and other critics of the program have driven two basketball coaches away from their coaching jobs at district schools in the northeast Iowa city of Independence.

Assistant coach Rob Ratchford said Monday that he and head varsity coach Rod Conrad had endured too many menacing or irate phone calls.

Ratchford said he knows that criticism comes with coaching.

“You read things on social media and you try to ignore those kinds of things: People approaching you on game day and phone calls on game day, and phone calls after the game,” he told Cedar Rapids television station KCRG.

But Ratchford said he couldn’t ignore the suggestions of violence.

“There were threats made, you know, about wanting to fight and stuff like that,” Ratchford told Waterloo television station KWWL.

Ratchford and head varsity coach Conrad decided they’d had enough, so they announced their resignations on Friday. Ratchford said they agreed that resigning was the only clear way to send a message to overzealous parents.

First off, I must say I’ve coached for 30-years and have never been physically threatened by anybody. Secondly, if I ever was threatened the last thing I’d do would be to quit. Thirdly, boo-hoo. You “read things on social media” and received “phone calls on game day”. Here’s an idea – if it bothers you so much don’t read Facebook or Twitter and don’t answer your phone. Just a thought.

One more thing, Coach Conrad and Coach Ratchford. I’m going to give you some advice in the simplist terms possible. Please grab a pencil and write down the following:

I am a coach. Since I am a coach the following will happen:

• I am going to sometimes make decisions that people don’t like.
• These people may sometimes disagree with me.
• These people will sometimes get angry with me.
• These people may complain.
• These people may occasionally cause me some unpleasantries.
• This will not cause me to give up  and quit like a little baby.

Repeat as required.

Oh, and you’re welcome in advance.