BENZONIA -- Charlie O'Hearn was named the inaugural coach of the newly-formed Northwest Warriors hockey team on Thursday.
The former Traverse City Central standout will guide the state's only seven-school co-op team that is slated to play its first game on Nov. 21.
"I'm really excited to be part of a new program and be at the beginning and see if we can get this off the ground," said O'Hearn, 30.
An assistant coach under Jeremy Rintala at TC West last season, O'Hearn played for four different Junior
A teams, including the Saginaw Gears and the Gaylord Grizzlies. A center, he played collegiately at Wayne State and Wisconsin-Stout.
O'Hearn said he'll probably hire two assistant coaches in the near future.
"We've got to put out a good product as soon as possible to keep this going strong," he said.
Benzie Central athletic director Karen Leinaar said O'Hearn was chosen from a pool of six finalists.
"He comes from a good hockey family," she said. "He's got a vision and a road map to get there."
O'Hearn's brothers -- Eric, Kevin and John -- have also been standout players for the Trojans.
The Warriors -- a co-op that includes Benzie Central, Glen Lake, Frankfort, Kingsley, Traverse City Christian, Traverse City Prep and Grand Traverse Academy -- have 14 games scheduled so far, including contests against Kalamazoo United, the Kalamazoo Blades, Grand Rapids Creston, Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills and the Mid-Michigan Storm.
The Warriors will start tryouts on Oct. 26.
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