Kevin Cossette: From Rouge et Or to Purple

Kevin Cossette in Laval Rouge et Or gear. Image source: infosoccer.ca

Four years ago, Kevin Cossette was told by the Montreal Impact organization that he was not part of their plans anymore: “I was told that they were not continuing with me for this season and my adventure would stop here, a week before the beginning of the NASL season.” Four years later, he has a college degree and a brand new professional contract with Louisville City FC. Cossette told uslradio.com about the path that led him to Kentucky.

Despite living in a situation where he had to constantly move between the academy and the first team, leaving the Montreal Impact organization was difficult for Cossette. The timing was horrible and as the summer flew by without a contract, the young fullback from Greenfield Park, Quebec made a decision.

Kevin Cossette during his time with the Montreal Impact. Courtsey: Montreal Impact

“When I left the Montreal Impact at the end of training camp in 2011, I was left with nothing and the club didn’t really help me to find me somewhere else to go.” With nowhere else to go, he decided to put his professional soccer career on hold and joined Quebec City’s Université Laval in the Canadian university system (CIS).

He studied to get a bachelor’s degree in sports intervention and at first, Cossette had trouble adapting with the Laval’s team, the Rouge et Or (meaning Red and Gold) because of the new lifestyle:

“I enjoyed my time there although I had trouble adapting to the rhythm of play, which is slower, and to the university life,” recalled Cossette. “I used to train every day [with the Montreal Impact] and when I moved to Université Laval, we didn’t train every day because we were students before athletes and it was tough for me. My play suffered from that.”

During his college career, Cossette received some offers to try out with professional teams, like the Ottawa Fury who had interest, but he never went further than only trying out. Leaving the professional game to go to college made him doubt about the possibility to go back to the pros.

“When I saw that, after I got released [by the Montreal Impact] it didn’t work out and the clubs weren’t bringing me on their squads because I didn’t have experience and they didn’t have a spot for me, I doubted,” Cossette said. “I told myself that I would turn the page on this. I had a good time with the Impact but it ended abruptly so I decided to try out university.”

Despite going through tough times in his college career, a concussion suffered in his first season at Laval and the club losing eight players for an ethics code infringement in 2014, Cossette stood out as one of the best in his team and his conference.

In 2014, he featured on the first all-star team in the Quebec university conference (RSEQ) and the second all-star team in all of the CIS. Right before graduating in early 2015, the Rouge et Or won the RSEQ indoor league despite their adversity and Cossette featured on the RSEQ’s first all-star team.

After the eventful 2014 fall season, Cossette believed that he still had a shot at the professional game. All he needed was an opportunity. He started to work on how coaches and teams could watch him play.

“I had fun, I took all of my games and made a montage. After I finished I told myself it was so good that I decided to send it out,” said Cossette. “When I sent it out, I thought that maybe I would get replies and I did. I had replies from Pittsburgh, Rochester and Louisville.”

With a student’s bank account, Cossette couldn’t afford to go to all three teams so he chose to go to the closest ones, Rochester and Pittsburgh. After two unsuccessful tryouts, he got a call from Louisville’s head coach James O’Connor.

“I didn’t go to Louisville but they saw my video and they contacted me again this past June to see if I had a club and if I was available to try out,” said Cossette. “I was waiting for this and it came out of nowhere for me so I accepted.”

Cossette was a part of the Quebec national team which played at the VIVA World Cup, a competition between non-federated nations. Photo Credit: VIVA World Cup – Les Québécois

Days later, Kevin Cossette became the first ever Laval Rouge et Or to sign a professional soccer contract. After signing his deal, the 25 year-old fullback insisted on saying more players from Canadian universities should actively look into his new league.

“The USL represents a good stepping stone for the very talented college players that we have here in Canada,” said Cossette. “[…] in the USL a Canadian counts as a local player whereas in MLS a Canadian is a foreign player if you play in the first team.”

Cossette also firmly believes Canadian universities should be included in the MLS Superdraft in order to showcase its players and kick-start many professional careers in leagues like the USL.

“We have quality players [in CIS soccer]. In Quebec, there are players that I played with me [at the Montreal Impact academy] that didn’t graduate to the first team that have talent, went to university and had great college soccer careers,” insisted Cossette. “However when those guys finish university, they find themselves in front of nothing and are left with themselves.”

Now a full time Louisville player, the idea of playing against FC Montreal on August 5th is not awkward to Cossette. The former Montreal academy product has a lot of respect and no hard feelings towards the organization.

“I always enjoyed playing for Philippe Eullaffroy and I think he knows that. I followed what they did this season, even though I didn’t have a contract, I didn’t miss a game,” confessed Cossette. “But the bottom line is that I play for Louisville City FC now and we’re on a mission, we target the top of the table and the USL championship and they will be a team on our way that we will need to beat.”