It was a quick courtship.

The St. Thomas Stars of the Western Ontario Hockey League have named Ron Horvat their new head coach.

Horvat takes over from Pat Powers, who left to become an assistant coach with the Western Mustangs men's team.

Horvat was an assistant last year with the WOHL London Nationals, as well as leading the Elgin-Middlesex major atoms to an Ontario Hockey Federation championship.

"I was surprised because out of the blue (the Stars) phoned me a week ago," Horvat said. "I wasn't expecting it. I knew the job was up. I knew they were looking. I didn't have a clue they were interested."

Horvat didn't think the opportunity to be a head coach at the junior B level would come up so quickly.

"Was I interested? Of course. I want to be a head coach. I want to continue on," he said. "I didn't let them know. I was kind of casual about it. They asked if I was interested. 'Yeah, I might be. I'll talk it over with my wife. Yeah, I'll come in and talk to you guys.' "

He met with some of the board of directors, including club president Larry Longfield.

"I didn't even think it was that formal a thing. Next thing there are three guys in there asking me questions . . . really informal. Three or four days later I get a call. They tell me 'The job is yours,' " Horvat said.

Horvat played with the Stars from 1984 to 1986 and was an assistant captain in 1986 when the team won the league championship.

Horvat will have to select his own coaching staff. The search will begin when he returns from holiday in two weeks time.

"It's going to be a lot of work but I was looking for this challenge," Horvat said. "Working under Barry (Martinelli, Nationals coach and general manager), they comforted me into the junior B ranks as a coach.

"I'll go through some growing pains. We lost a few players. It's going to be a young team and they want to go with local talent and I like that idea," Horvat said. "There's a lot of good hockey players in this area along with Elgin Middlesex Chiefs. We'll try and be competitive while at the same time have a lot of local kids hopefully."

As a coach with the Nationals, Horvat was somewhat familiar with the Stars.

"I've seen there needs last year and that was a couple of the questions they asked me," Horvat said. "They asked 'what do you think our needs are? When you coached against us what did you think we needed?' I know what I need to change. They filled me in on the inside stuff on certain players and what changes I have to make."

Horvat says he's nervous but that's nothing new.

"Every time I start a coaching job I'm nervous," he said. "I had the atom Chiefs last year and I was nervous but it always makes you do a better job. You're into it. You concentrate and hockey is my passion."

Horvat is a teacher and he believes what's most important is his relationship with his players.

"At the end of the day, you don't care what anybody thinks as long as the kids play for you," Horvat said. "The kids just want to be taught something and try to get the best out of them. It's all about the kids."