Better Halves

Introduced in 2003, players’ wives and girlfriends team up to assist the Griffins in their community endeavors. For example, in 2011-12, the Better Halves sold bracelets to help raise money for the families who lost loved ones in the tragic Russian plane crash on Sept. 7, 2011 that claimed the lives of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey team, including former Griffins players Pavol Demitra, Karel Rachunek and Stefan Liv. Throughout the 2024-25 season, we will be highlighting the wives and girlfriends to give them the opportunity to share their stories. Be on the lookout for the better halves out in the community once again this year. 

Emerson Cossa

Get to know Emerson Cossa, Sebastian Cossa’s wife, in our fifth Better Halves spotlight of the season. Emerson and Sebastian met when they were just 16 years old and got married this past offseason. She shares some stories about their teenage years, the excitement encompassing Sebastian’s future, the difficulties surrounding travel visas, and much more.

Give us your backstory. Where you’re from, childhood, hobbies, etc.

I grew up in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, in Canada and I come from a family with two other sisters. I have an older sister who is now 24 and then a younger sister who is now 19. Our childhood was pretty normal. Our parents always kept us busy, so we were always finding a new hobby or sport that we were interested in. I was kind of a tomboy growing up, while my sisters were pretty girly. My older sister was really into Girl Guides and that was her thing, and my younger sister did cheerleading for a while. For me, I tried a bunch of things growing up. I tried soccer for awhile and then I got into figure skating, which I did from when I was about nine until I was 11 or 12, and then we moved towns, and the distance became too much. Then I started volleyball once I got into junior high. I played in school from grade seven to grade 11 and also played club volleyball in Edmonton during the same time period. So, I kept pretty busy, and that was about the time I met Sebastian. Then my schedule did not line up with his and I was also not getting any taller, so it was time to hang that up. 

You met Sebastian when you guys were teenagers. How did you guys meet and what do you remember most about your time together early on? 

We actually met when we were 13 in grade nine. We had a couple of random option classes together. I think it was a computer tech class when I first met him, and I just thought he was silly immediately after meeting him. I was not super interested at first and we didn’t actually start dating until just before my 16th birthday in grade 11. We had mutual friends that were dating and they kind of set us up. So, we would go on double dates together and that was sort of how we got together. 

His family is from Fort McMurray, and I guess there isn’t much hockey up to a certain level there because it is pretty far north, and they don’t have as much going on. When Sebastian came to my school in grade nine when we first met, he was here in Fort Saskatchewan to play hockey. When we were dating, he was actually living with billets when we were 15 and I got to see his midget AAA year. After that is when he went to go play for the Oil Kings in Edmonton. Edmonton is about 30 minutes from my town so we would just drive back and forth to see each other. I would go to all his games in Edmonton, and it worked out nicely that he was playing so close. 

Got married this past summer, what was that like and how is it being married to a pro athlete? 

The wedding was super nice and definitely something that was very true to who we are. We are not super big showy people and it’s all about us and our families, and that is what we wanted our wedding to be about. I think there were only 17 people there. It was his parents, my parents, our siblings and both of our grandparents. It was perfect. We had a small ceremony and then we did a dinner after, and all of this was in my parents’ backyard. It was super special to get married there where we’ve spent a lot of time throughout our whole relationship. 

Things haven’t changed much after getting married. Being with a hockey player, I’ve always gone wherever he has gone even before we were married. It’s definitely a little crazy when you don’t know what the next year is going to look like and never having the ability to plan for the future. That is kind of all we have known in our relationship, and I feel like we are just used to it by now. Even when we were together at 16, I had no idea where we were playing next year. I didn’t know if he was going to be playing for the Oil Kings or get traded someplace else. You’re just always on high alert for things to change.  

Do you want to touch on the border and visa difficulties being from Canada? 

Essentially, being from Canada with him working here, he is on a working visa. He has no issues coming in and out of the states and can stay here as long as he has that visa. When I first moved down with him when he was playing in Toledo, that was a big realization for us that this would even be an issue with me being Canadian. We talked with lawyers and just tried to figure out a plan to make sure that we weren’t breaking any laws that would get us into trouble. So that year, I knew I would just go down for six months and then spend the other six months back home with my family. When we found out he was playing here in Grand Rapids, it was the same thing, and we just planned for me to come for the six months. We got a dog in that first year in Toledo, so that really complicated things even more with all the travel. We were thinking, how do we start a life together when we can only see each other for six months. That was the big issue for us, not being able to be together. Last year, we had talked about getting engaged and I knew it was coming. Things just came together so quickly and within a few weeks we knew that getting married quickly would be the best for us. Now, not having to worry about ever getting into trouble crossing the border or having any issues is nice. 

Being a first-round pick, there is a lot of attention and pressure surrounding Sebastian. Do you feel the same stress and how do you guys deal with it? 

If you know Sebastian, you know that he is not a super high-stressed guy. He is pretty easy going and just lets things roll off his back. So, I have not really experienced that side of him, being stressed out because he is stressed. I think the only time when we really felt that was just that realization when he got drafted that ‘okay, where are you going to be next year. Are you going to be back in Edmonton with the Oil Kings or are you moving away and what does that mean? Do I go with you, or do I stay?’. I was in school at that time, so I wasn’t sure if I should just throw away everything that I’ve been doing and just follow him. So that was really the only time we felt the stress. 

I feel like he is an anomaly. He goes to the rink, comes back home and I hear nothing. He doesn’t ever bring anything home. If he’s had a bad game and I try to ask him about it, he just does a really good job of regulating those emotions and doesn’t really bring that home. 

Obviously, he is very loved by fans both here and in Detroit. Do you guys feel that support? 

Yes, of course. Everywhere we go we meet people all the time and everyone is so nice, and it feels really good to be playing for a team that shows you that support. Obviously, not everyone is nice all the time, so you really appreciate those moments when things are going well, and you get to talk to fans and have those interactions. 

How was the experience at the all-star weekend?

It was fun, I had never been to an all-star weekend with him. He was selected to go when we were playing in Toledo, but it was actually just after we had gotten our puppy, so I stayed home while he went. So, I was happy I was able to go with him this time. It was a really cool experience and a good memory for us to have together. It was nice to meet some people that you kind of know but have never actually met. It was nice to put a face to a name that I’ve heard a lot about. Brogan and Michelle Rafferty had played in Coachella Valley, so she immediately sent me a bunch of recommendations, which was super nice. We went to a few places that she recommended during the extra day we spent there and then just kind of hung out.

In Sebastian’s questionnaire form they fill out every year, he listed you as his proudest achievement. Can you talk about your connection and how you guys help each other through the good and bad? 

I think that just comes with us being best friends. He’s always the one I want to spend my time with and vice versa. I think you kind of have to be that way, especially in this lifestyle where you spend so much time away from family and friends. He is also very emotionally mature and if there is ever anything going on with us, he is the first to say ‘sorry’, the first to try and mend things. He is just a very considerate guy, and we never really have any issues. We just get each other and being together at a young age is very true. We kind of grew up together in a way. He knows things about me, and I don’t even need to tell him and vice versa. It makes things easy. 

What do you like to do in your free time? 

We have a dog, Hank, and he takes up the majority of my time. It is always something with him. He is definitely my main hobby. I love the outdoors, so I always like taking Hank to new trails and staying active with him to keep busy, especially when the team is on the road. There is also a really great group of girls here, too. There is always something happening and we are always getting together. Whether that be going to dinners or hanging out watching the game at someone’s house, that helps as well.  

What does a typical game day look like for you? 

It’s been the same for about the past four years as far as Sebastian’s routine goes. Usually, he gets home around 12:30 and that is usually when I get home from walking the dog. We have about an hour to just hang out and then he has his pregame meal, which has been the same ever since I’ve known him. It is buttered noodles every time. Although recently, he has been adventurous, and he’s been adding in a steak. So, he will have a steak on the side with his buttered noodles. No sauce, but sometimes he will add some parmesan if he’s feeling crazy. I normally make it for him and then after that he usually naps. I end up going with him when he leaves to go to the rink around 4:30, so I just get ready when he is napping. Then I meet up with the girls for dinner and we go to the game after. 

What are some of your favorite things about Grand Rapids?

It’s just a well-rounded city and there is something for everybody here. It doesn’t matter your age or interests. We also love the location. We spent a lot of time in summer going to the lakes around here and that has been really nice. There are also a lot of nice walking trails and parks that we take the dog to a lot. We are always finding new places to eat and love that about the city as well. 

What are you most excited about for your future? 

Probably just to see where this life takes us. Like I said, you never really know where you are going to be even if you think you do. I am excited for all of the little adventures we get to have and all the people we get to meet. 

Any funny or embarrassing stories about Sebastian? 

With Sebastian, if you know him, he is just goofy. So, there is nothing that he does that I think is embarrassing. It is just part of his personality. Everyday there is something. But probably the most joked about situation that has happened with our family is the Noel story. A year into us dating, it was the first Christmas he had ever spent with my family. Being in a house of just girls, my mom always did a lot around the holidays and our house was completely decked out for Christmas. The tree is always filled with so many decorations, and she does a great job with that. There was one evening after dinner and Sebastian was sitting in the living room looking at the tree just hanging out. All of a sudden, he turns to my mom with a straight face and asks ‘Erin, who is Noel?’. I remember my mom looking at me and then looking at him and then looking at the tree. Just within those few seconds it connected with me and my mom, and we burst out laughing. He was staring at a Christmas ornament that said Noel. After that, we had to explain to him what Noel meant and why it was on the tree. That is one of the more memorable things that he has done. We were 16 at the time, so you can imagine what my parents were thinking when I brought him home.