Scarecrows The flag-lined streets and cheery scarecrows led soccer players and their fans to the fields at Gray-New Gloucester High and Middle Schools.

I had three goals that I hoped the program would achieve: 1) Offer an opportunity to as many children as possible, who showed interest in advancing their game; 2) Host a local tournament; 3) Bring a State Championship to Gray-New Gloucester High School.

With the help of many individuals, to date, we have achieved two of those goals. We have offered a high quality of soccer to 100 to 150 players each year. The Crossroads Challenge, the brain storm of Craig Worth's, with the help of Larry Giddinge, became a reality 7 years ago and yes, many of us are still working diligently on the third elusive goal!

The tournament has been especially gratifying to me because so many people have been impressed by the club's organization and the appearance of our Town and facilities. For years this weekend has represented competition, friendship, community and cooperation. The competition is intense, many new friends are made and old acquaintances renewed, the community pulls together in an incredible manner and each of the club teams as well as the High School sports teams and boosters, rally together to make the whole event a success.

Here are a few reflections on this year's Crossroads Challenge:

Following a morning of battling each other on the pitch, U12 girls and boys from the Patriot, Hampden and South Portland teams had an extended game of tag going on at one of the empty fields.

A player from Windham was carried off the field by teammates after winning the sportsmanship medal given by the game official.

A Patriot player could not make Fridays night's practice because he and his father were hung up in traffic coming north into Gray, so they turned around and went to the nearest field in Cumberland and practiced together until dark.

Pat and Glenn Sylvester served as part of the registration team for the seventh consecutive year. They never had a child play for the club, just enjoyed volunteering.