Ferdinand J. Courleux was born on August 16, 1881 in Cahokia, Illinois. He was orphaned when he was 13 years old and relocated to St. Louis, Missouri. Courleux attended Oakville Schools in the South County. Courleux entered the Missouri State Normal School—Third District in the summer of 1904 and completed his education in 1908. While attending he was very active in sports. Some of Courleux’s accomplishments include being quarterback/halfback in football, a centerfielder/shortstop in baseball, and a guard in basketball. He was also Captain of the football team in the years of 1905 and 1906.

After graduation, Courleux served as a coach at the Missouri State Normal School—Third District for one year. He briefly left the Missouri State Normal School—Third District from 1909-1915 for additional training and employment, first in Springfield, Massachusetts, and later in Birmingham, Alabama. In 1915, he returned to Missouri State Normal School—Third District and would hold the longest tenure as a coach at Cape State until the arrival of Emmett Stuber in 1932. Courleux ended his coaching career and became Athletic Director and Head of Physical Education in 1930 and held that position until he retired in 1933.