With strong family roots in St Eustatius, Sams has built an international baseball career spanning 17 years, which includes representing the Kingdom Team of the Netherlands and playing within several Major League Baseball organisations. His journey has taken him around the world, and this maiden trip to Statia is centred on connecting with his roots, giving back, inspiring young people, and exploring opportunities to strengthen sports development on the island.
During his visit, Sams will meet with the Executive Council to discuss the vision for Statia on the Map and the potential role he can play in supporting the island's sports ambitions. A major focus of the programme is youth engagement. Sams will address primary and secondary school pupils through motivational sessions under the theme “From Statia to the World,” sharing lessons from his career about discipline, resilience, education, making positive choices, and pursuing opportunities.
The programme also includes engagement with the St Eustatius Sports Facilities Foundation (SSFF) and local sports clubs. These discussions will focus on the current sports landscape, coaching and organisational development, facilities, athlete pathways, and opportunities to connect Statian athletes with expertise and networks beyond the island.
The visit is intended to be more than a series of motivational activities. It provides an opportunity to explore how Sams' experience and international network can contribute to longer-term mentorship, athlete development, coaching support, exposure, and educational or sporting pathways for Statia's youth.
“Coming from a small island family background, your origin should never determine the size of a young person's ambition. Through Statia on the Map, we want our young people to see that with discipline, support, and opportunity, their talents can take them far while they remain proud of where they come from,” said Kalian Sams.
The Statia Government sees sport as a vital instrument for developing young people physically, socially, and mentally. Existing initiatives also seek to make participation accessible to children regardless of their family's financial circumstances. Collaboration between the government, schools, the SSFF, sports organisations, and other partners remains central to building sustainable opportunities for young people.
Sams' inaugural visit also provides an opportunity to shine a positive light on St Eustatius internationally,celebrating a Statian success story while encouraging the next generation to create their own.
