Pittsford resident, coach at Empire State Games

James Johnson • Staff writer • July 25, 2008 VESTAL — Doug Kircher has a good idea of how to size up soccer teams at the Empire State Games. Kircher, a Pittsford resident, has coached the Western scholastic girls soccer squad since 1990. This year Western could make a big rebound from last summer's bronze-medal finish, according to Kircher, who coached the Pittsford Sutherland girls varsity for 18 years but won't be back in that position this fall. "This team has a lot of speed and offensive power compared to other teams," Kircher said. "A lot of creativity." Western had no trouble in its opener, a 7-0 win Thursday over New York City at State University of New York at Binghamton. Aquinas senior midfielder Chelsea Shoemaker, a Greece resident, scored Western's first goal about two minutes after the opening kickoff. Shoemaker... [read full story]