Allison Snooks, the former University of Maine women’s soccergoalie, is the third-string goalie for the Carolina Courage of the new Women’s United Soccer Association.

Snooks still holds the University of Maine women’s soccer record for most saves in a game (29), season (230), and career (540).

Maine was a fledgling program at that time and went 12-48-4 in her four years (1991-94).

The Framingham, Mass., native took a year off from soccer after graduating from Maine.

“I had to take a year off, mentally. I didn’t want anything to do with the sport,” said Snooks, whose senior year was a 1-15 struggle.

She got “the itch” to get back into the sport after her year in the work force in Madison, Wis. She returned to Boston and spent four years in the W-League with the Boston Renegades, the last two as a starter, before earning her current spot.

The 6-foot Snooks practices with the team, but won’t make the road trips because they are limited to a 16-member travel roster. However, No. 1 goalkeeper Bente Nordby, the starter for Olympic gold medalist Norway, will miss five games to play in the European championships in June, so Snooks will at least move up to backup status.

Snooks wasn’t paid in the W-League but will make $1,000 a month with Carolina.

“I know I have my foot in the door right now. The fact I’m on a [WUSA] team was my ultimate goal. Anything can happen,” said the 27-year-old Snooks.

Snooks knows what she will need to do when she gets the call.

“The main factor among the starting and allocated [foreign-born] goalies is the presence they bring onto the field. That’s a major strength they have. I’ll have to project that presence. [If I do that], everything else will fall into place,” said Snooks. “And I can’t be afraid to fail. I’ve made it this far. I’ve put a lot of work and effort into it. I won’t be in awe of anybody at this point.”

Snooks is coming off an outstanding season with the Renegades.

She was 8-2 with five shutouts and a 0.90 goals-against average.

She received an invitation and attended a combine with 24 other goalies and 200 players, but she wasn’t drafted. However, three clubs offered her tryouts and she wound up with Carolina.

She is disappointed she didn’t beat out former Dartmouth College goalie Kristin Luckenbill for the backup spot, saying, “I’m a proud athlete.”

She looks back on her days at Maine with fondness despite the deluge of shots.

“I didn’t know exactly what I was getting myself into at Maine, but now I can look back and appreciate it. In some ways, it helped mold me into the goalkeeper I am today,” said Snooks. “Mark Hundhammer was an assistant when I was there and he did a great job with me.”

For the first time in her life, she now has a full-time goalie coach in Zac Shaw and that is paying dividends.

In addition to her busy practice schedule, Snooks works out on her own three days a week.

She is thrilled about being involved in the breakthrough super league, which has the world’s best players.

“I have stuck with my dream. I can say I am a professional soccer player. Playing soccer is what I do. For me, stepping on the field every day is an amazing thing,” said Snooks.

Huard prefers turf to headsets

John Huard, the former head coach at Maine Maritime Academy, said his coaching days are over.

Huard, a former University of Maine Little All-American and NFL linebacker, was fired as the coach of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League after a 1-6-1 start, and he remains immersed as the president of Northeast Turf Hue Inc.

The South Portland-based company distributes FieldTurf, a grass-like artificial surface.

His company is currently installing the turf at Boston University’s Nickerson Field, the new home of the WUSA’s Boston Breakers.

“I’ll never get back into coaching,” said the 57-year-old Huard. “Coaching is out of my system. I’ve found something that is more exciting than coaching or playing.

“This turf is the best product I’ve ever seen. It’s phenomenal. It has the softness of grass but it is more consistent than grass because you don’t get potholes on rainy days. We can drain over 32 inches of water an hour. And you can [snow]plow it. It reduces injuries and you don’t get burns and abrasions. And it’s half the price of the old AstroTurf fields.”

He added that the Georgia-produced FieldTurf is expected to become the first artificial surface approved by FIFA, the governing body of world soccer.

Japanese-Maine exchange game

There will be a cultural exchange surrounding an April 30 hockey game between groups of businessmen (40 years of age and up) from Maine and Japan.

The game will take place at the Family Ice Center in Falmouth at 3 p.m. The participants will also attend a buffet lunch with Maine Governor Angus King at noon that day.

The Japanese team played together on a Japanese national collegiate championship team in the mid-1960s.

“They use hockey as a reason to travel around the world,” said Steve Levesque of the Department of Economic and Community Development. “This will be a unique way to build potential business relationships as well as friendships.”

One of the Japanese players, Tak Sato, is the head chef at BenKay Restaurant in Portland. Levesque found out from Sato that they were coming to Maine [to play a team from Sato’s Portland-based league team the previous day] and Levesque eventually set the game up.