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.
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?
In the fall of 2025, our inaugural 3D Masters’ Class brought together 37 community leaders to take what we call the 3D Journey.
Participants rated the experience an average of 4.79 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. Here are some highlights from the Fall 2025 project:
- Raised $6,900 to support the MO Family Sports Fund Family Assist Program, helping 115 children from low-income families participate in youth sports
- Served over 60 volunteer hours to help beautify Felix Square ahead of the city’s annual lighting ceremony
What’s Next?
Our next 3D Master’s Class runs from February 10 through April 7, 2026, bookended by two community-wide events open to all. If you are curious about growing as a leader and helping others do the same, we invite you to explore what it means to become part of The City of Coaches by filling out the form below. Together, we’re not just building leaders. We’re building a foundation that carries a city forward.Spring 2026 Cohort Dates
1 - The City of Coaches | 02.10.26 | Community Gathering
Audience: Public Community Gathering
Theme: Striving Together to Become St. Joseph
Topics: Defining “Coach” and “Striving Together”
Overview: The whole community is invited to the launch of our Spring Cohort kickoff event. Not only does this event launch the Spring 2026 3D Masters’ Class, it brings together alumni and newcomers to connect, support one another, and sustain momentum across the wider community. It also allows for another opportunity to hear from amazing guest speakers.
Special Guest: Anson Dorrance, the iconic head coach of UNC Women’s Soccer, will join us in The City of Coaches to share insights on culture and leadership that align powerfully with the heart of 3D Coaching. With 22 national championships and legendary players like Mia Hamm under his leadership, Coach Dorrance is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches of all time.
2 - Driving for Greatness | 02.17.26 | Spring Cohort Only
Audience: Spring Cohort
Topics: Communication & Motivation
Overview: Session 2 marks the first Spring cohort-only gathering as we begin the 3D Journey together. We’ll focus on building healthy communication on our teams—where clarity leads to trust—and explore how to spark motivation from within, driven by purpose, fueled by love, and rooted in a desire to give our best to something bigger than ourselves.
3 - Poise Under Pressure | 02.24.26 | Spring Cohort Only
Audience: Spring Cohort
Topics: Confidence & Emotions
Overview: In Session 3, we’ll explore the 2nd Dimension topics of Confidence and Emotions. You’ll learn how to coach a growth mindset that builds lasting confidence and how to shape the emotional climate of your team using the Emotions Matrix—helping others perform and relate at their best under pressure.
4 - One Team, One Mission | 03.03.26 | Spring Cohort Only
Audience: Spring Cohort
Topics: Team Cohesion & Goal Setting
Overview: Session 4 is focused on building team cohesion and setting meaningful goals. In One Team, One Mission, we’ll explore practical ways to help teams gel and function at a high level, while learning how to set process-focused goals that align with a shared mission and drive long-term success.
5 - Culture of Excellence | 03.10.26 | Spring Cohort Only
Audience: Spring Cohort
Topic: Architecting Culture
Overview: Session 5 is all about building a life-giving team culture where relationships thrive and performance is elevated. We’ll identify what strengthens culture—and what drains it—while engaging in practical, hands-on activities to help you shape a healthy, high-performing environment
6 - Heart of a Champion | 03.17.26 | Spring Cohort Only
Audience: Spring Cohort
Topics: Character, Identity, Self-Worth, Value & Significance
Overview: In Session 6, we will dive into the 3rd Dimension of coaching where we’ll explore two types of character that shape performance and culture, and unpack how to resist the trap of a performance-based identity so it doesn’t undermine confidence or long-term success.
7 - Foundational Purpose | 03.24.26 | Spring Cohort Only
Audience: Spring Cohort
Topics: Purpose
Overview: Session 7 is a unique week in the journey—there’s no in-person training, but there’s still important work to be done. This week is set aside for catching up on online content and, more importantly, for reflecting deeply to establish your core values and write your Foundational Purpose Statement. We’ll also come together for a rewarding community impact project, serving side-by-side to meet a real need and make a difference in St. Joseph.
8 - A New Trajectory | 03.31.26 | Spring Cohort Only
Audience: Spring Cohort
Topics: Practical Strategies & Applications
Overview: Session 8 is about turning insight into action. We’ll begin mapping out simple, strategic ways to apply 3D principles across the full journey of a team member’s experience. We’ll also have the chance to share our Foundational Purpose Statements and reflect on how this training will shape the future of our leadership.
9 - Great Teams Have Great Teammates | 04.07.26 | Community Gathering
Audience: Public Community Gathering
Theme: Great Teams Have Great Teammates
Topics: Celebration, Commissioning & Community Vision
Overview: Session 9 is also our next community-wide event where TJC alumni, supporters, and the newest cohort come together to celebrate the launch of a new class of 3D Leaders into the heart of our city. It’s a moment to honor their growth, reconnect as a community, and commit to a bold, unified future. This is our call to go ALL IN on St. Joseph. Once again, we will have a great speaker on hand to inspire us all
Special Guest: We’re excited to welcome Sue Ramsey, legendary Division II National Champion coach and author of Great Teams Have Great Teammates. Her lifelong commitment to developing great teammates and healthy team culture reflects the heart of 3D Coaching.
Interested?
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.
3D Certification Course Samples
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4:06
4:06
3:30
3:43
3:43
FAQ's About TJC Season V
What is Season V of The Joseph Company all about?
Season V launches a bold new chapter: Becoming St. Joseph—The City of Coaches. We’re shifting from our annual 9-month series to two 9-week cohorts per year, equipping leaders to create culture-shaping impact in every sector of our city.
Why the new format?
For the past four years, leaders have joined us monthly from September to May for a 9-part leadership breakfast series. Now, we’re going deeper, faster, and broader—training teams more intentionally and multiplying our reach across seven sectors.
What are the seven sectors you’re focusing on?
We’re working to launch leadership pilots in each of these areas:
- Arts
- Athletics
- Business
- Education
- Government
- Healthcare
- Nonprofit
What’s the long-term goal?
Over the next 3 years, we aim to launch:
✅ 3 pilot teams per sector, per year
✅ That’s 21 pilots per year
✅ For a total of 63 pilots citywide
This is how we’ll build St. Joseph into a thriving City of Coaches.
What exactly is a “Pilot”?
A Pilot is a committed leadership team from an organization that goes through the 9-session 3D Masters’ Class together. Each pilot includes:
- Head Coach Buy-In – A top leader who supports and greenlights participation
- An Internal Champion – Someone from within the team who leads the effort
- Skin in the Game – Investment from the organization
What’s the process to become a Pilot?
Fill out the interest form above. Wes Simmons with the 3D Institute will follow up.
How many teams can join each cohort?
Each cohort is capped at 14 teams (1 team = 1 table of up to 5 people, led by organization’s internal champion).
What are the four community-wide events this year?
These large, inspiring events bookend each cohort and are open to the broader Joseph Company community—not just 3D Masters’ Class participants:
- Fall Kickoff – October 14, 2025
- Fall Finale – December 9, 2025
- Spring Kickoff – February 10, 2026
- Spring Finale – April 7, 2026
Each event will feature unique content and speakers so returning attendees will always experience something new.
Will food be provided?
- Kickoff & Finale Events: Yes
- Weekly Cohort Sessions: Water, juice and coffee will be provided along with light snacks. There are also optional group lunch outings afterward that will be coordinated to support local downtown businesses (everyone pays their own way)
What if I’m not a “Head Coach,” but I want my organization to participate?
That’s great! Just forward this info to your Head Coach (your top team leader or organizational decision-maker) to gain clearance and fill out the form above and we will follow up.
What’s covered in the 3D Journey?
Participants are trained in the 3D Coaching framework, which develops leaders across three dimensions:
- Skills (1st Dimension)
- Mind (2nd Dimension)
- Heart (3rd Dimension)
It’s a transformational leadership model designed to shape stronger teams and healthier organizational cultures. Check out the video below to hear an overview.