Ronn Tomassoni had a lot on his mind on Friday, July 9, 1982.

The Eveleth, Minn. native was to be married the next day, and few things beyond putting on that ring were important.

But Charlie Morrison, the Union College hockey coach, had a last thought to add to the maelstrom rushing through his assistant-coach's mind. Morrison called Tomassoni to encourage him one final time to apply for the assistant coach position at Harvard.

Although the Rensselaer graduate felt he was too young--Tomassoni was 23 at the time--Morrison's words overruled his assistant's qualms. After the Union coach hung up, Tomassoni decided to make one call of his own.

"Timing is everything," Tomassoni says now.

Then-Harvard Hockey Coach Bill Cleary ran an insurance business during his coaching years and would spend few of the summer hours in his Dillon Field House office. But on that auspicious Friday afternoon, Cleary was taking care of some of his hockey odds and ends.

After his chat with the soon-to-be newlywed, Cleary went home for the weekend, thinking about Tomassoni as a possible assistant. While Cleary says now that he does not remember Tomassoni as a Rensselaer player, Morrison's recommendation--combined with a call from a bridegroom--intrigued him.

On Monday, Cleary called back, but Tomassoni was on his honeymoon at a lake cabin--which fortunately had a phone. The newlywed was shocked when the Harvard coach finally reached him.

"I don't know how I got the number, but I made sure I got it," Cleary says. "I quickly learned he had some special qualities. He had that sense of maturity about him. He's a very keen observer."

The rest is history. Tomassoni came out to Cambridge right after his honeymoon, interviewed with Cleary and spent the night at Cleary's Auburndale home. A few days later, Cleary coach offered Tomassoni the job.

"One week later, I was driving a U-Haul to Boston," says present-day Harvard Hockey Coach Tomassoni, nine years later. "It was the best thing that ever happened to me."

All In The Family

That Ronn Tomassoni should end up a hockey coach is not terribly surprising.

His introduction to the game--like many college hockey players--came at the age of four. Tomassoni did not join his first organized league until age 10, however, years late in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

"I was too busy following my brothers to their games," Tomassoni explains.