In the beginning, St. Joseph was a “City of Coaches.” It was a hub where stagecoaches brought pioneers to gear up before heading out west to chase their dreams. What if St. Joseph became a city full of leaders who embodied the original meaning of the word coach?
Coach: a covered carriage that takes a person of importance from where they are to where they want to or need to go.
Through this initiative, we’re reclaiming our identity and using the original meaning of “coach” as a metaphor for transformational leadership to move our community toward a brighter future.
Watch this and rediscover the legacy of our city—and the fresh vision to become a City of Coaches once again.
A City Built to Launch Dreams
St. Joseph has always been a city of coaches.
In the early days, people arrived here from all over the world by stagecoach. Lines stretched for miles and people waited for weeks. On those coaches were their valuables, their families, their possessions, and their dreams.
It was a destination city — not as a landing point, but as a launching point.
- They came to get connected.
- They came to get equipped.
- They came to get launched in pursuit of their dream.
Like those early pioneers, this is an invitation for leaders dream big dreams and launch from St. Joseph — where we are recovering our historic role as a place of preparation and launch, now expressed through the 3D Master’s Class.
Building St. Joseph, Brick by Brick
This old brick road in downtown St. Joseph is more than a piece of history. It’s a reminder of the story that shapes our identity.
Countless people once rolled down this road in stagecoaches, passing through St. Joseph as they crossed the Missouri River and headed west in pursuit of a dream.
Beyond a reminder of our founding story, this road also carries a deeper message that inspires the City of Coaches vision.
When individual bricks are laid together with an intentional purpose, they become a foundation strong enough to carry the masses forward.
Laying a Foundation of Purpose
The City of Coaches Initiative exists to turn the idea of laying a “Foundation of Purpose” across our city from concept to reality.
We train leaders from every sector, including Arts, Athletics, Business, Education, Healthcare, Government, and Nonprofit, to lead as transformational coaches in their spheres of influence.
With understanding of the original definition of coach and guided by the 3D Coaching Framework, leaders are learning to coach the whole person. Skills. Mind. Heart.
It all begins with each leader laying their own brick by clarifying their own Foundational Purpose, then seeking to live it out where they live, lead and serve.
Example Purpose Statements
Coaching the Coaches
Through 3D Masters’ Class
3D Masters’ Class is a nine-session journey where we walk through the 3D Framework together (details below). It’s through this process that participants clarify their core values and write their own Foundational Purpose Statements.
Each statement is like a brick in the road we referenced above. Together, they form a growing Foundation of Purpose for our city, one that helps move people ahead toward their dreams.
This is not symbolic work. It is practical, personal, and transferable into homes, teams, classrooms, organizations, and communities.
What Are People Saying?
Over 100 community members have now completed 3D Master’s Class and rated the experience an average of 4.65 out of 5 stars, describing it as:
- “Engaging, practical, and valuable.”
- “I walked away with more confidence, clarity, and a renewed commitment to effective leadership.”
- “There is an intentional and meaningful purpose behind every module.”
Dale Reuter with the City of St. Joseph and Tarah Weddle with the St. Joseph YWCA share their perspectives on the value of 3D Masters’ Class.
Community Impact Project
Beyond personal growth, each cohort puts leadership into action by completing a Community Impact Project.
Served alongside the Midtown Initiative—walking neighborhoods, cleaning up John Lucas Park, and putting leadership into action.
40+ service hours, 50+ bags of trash removed, and nearly 200 homes over 45 blocks informed about the revitalization effort
Raised $6,600 to help the St. Joseph YWCA upgrade playground equipment for children of the women they serve
Here are some highlights from the Spring 2026 project.
3D Masters’ Class is taught in live sessions over the 9 dates listed above. Each participant will also gain online access to the 3D Coaching Course for Certification for Business, Education, or Sport. Check out samples of the 3D certification content below.