Locals and Tourists take the field Saturday in the Friendly Island Softball Classic

GREAT BAY--The Friendly Island Softball Classic takes center stage this Saturday, September 26, bringing together local players and visiting softball enthusiasts for a Locals vs. Tourists matchup aimed at raising funds for the St. Maarten 37ers U13 team.

Presented by the Destined for Greatness Foundation, the community event gets underway at 2:00pm at Jose Lake Ball Park on Gladiola Road. Admission is free, with donations welcomed as organizers invite families, sports fans, businesses and the wider community to come out and support the young athletes.

The Friendly Island Softball Classic is designed as both a fundraiser and a community celebration, combining softball, entertainment and the Friendly Island spirit around a cause focused on youth sports. Organizers are encouraging supporters to fill the park, bring their families and give the 37ers a strong community send-off before they leave St. Maarten for international competition.

The matchup will feature a local team taking on a tourist team, with the event built around friendly competition between residents and visitors. Proceeds raised will go directly toward the 37ers' travel, accommodations and tournament-related expenses.

Saturday's event comes as the 37ers prepare for their next challenge, the Baseball in Paradise Tournament in Aruba, which begins October 10, 2026.

The 37ers operate under the Destined for Greatness Foundation and enter the tournament as back-to-back Little League Champions. Their success has earned them the opportunity to represent St. Maarten on an international stage, with the Friendly Island Softball Classic serving as a major fundraising effort to help make the trip possible.

For the Foundation, Saturday is therefore about more than the result on the field. It is an opportunity for the community to show the players that the island is behind them as they prepare to compete abroad.

Organizers are calling on residents to wear their St. Maarten colors, meet the players, cheer them on and contribute where possible. The goal is to ensure that when the 37ers arrive in Aruba, they do so knowing that their community helped send them there.

The event also gives residents and visitors an opportunity to connect through sport. The Locals vs. Tourists format reflects the Friendly Island theme, with both sides competing on the diamond while supporting the same cause.

The Destined for Greatness Foundation has stressed that every contribution made through the Classic will support expenses connected to the Aruba trip, including travel, accommodations and tournament costs.

Complete information about the Friendly Island Softball Classic, sponsorship opportunities, donations and updates is available at www.friendlyislandclassic.com. The Foundation can also be contacted at info@thefriendlyislandclassic.com.

Sponsors

The Destined for Greatness Foundation thanked the businesses and organizations supporting the Friendly Island Softball Classic and the 37ers: The Setai St. Maarten, Native Nations SXM, Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), Dock Maarten, Republic Bank, Bethlehem Real Estate Development N.V., Port St. Maarten Group of Companies, The Cliff SXM, Central Bank of Curaçao and St. Maarten, Versant Accountants and Consultants, Motorworld St. Maarten, IGY Marinas, NAGICO Insurances, Sunline Technical Maintenance, Sage Consulting B.V., Hoeve & Rogers Attorneys & Consultants, Divi Little Bay Beach Resort, Windward Roads and Oyster Bay Beach Resort.

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