It’s been Richie Paradise’s dream to be a professional skier since 1998, when he watched Johnny Moseley win gold in the Winter Olympics after executing a 360-degree spin.

Moseley’s move was the catalyst for Paradise’s move to professional freestyle skiing competitions as a sophomore at West High.

He had no idea his dream would come back and bite him a year later.

“I turned pro my sophomore year. I won the state doubles tennis title my junior year and got a tennis scholarship from Southern (New Hampshire University) that same year,” said Paradise.

“But the NCAA said I couldn’t go because I was a pro athlete in another sport. It was ironic, but that’s why I never went to college.”

Though the NCAA decision forced Paradise to swap classroom time for more training on the slopes, he said he has no regrets. Since graduating from West in 2004, the Bedford native took a year off before beginning two years of traveling to freestyle competitions.

Paradise was crowned champion at this year’s ATP Bud Light Rail Jam at Attitash Mountain on Dec. 31.

He brought home a check for $1,000 after performing freestyle stunts on a rail-course.

Attitash’s jam differed from other rail jams in that competitors were not split into divisions. Professional, amateur, skiers, snowboarders, men and women competed against each other as one group.

The win came just before Paradise traveled to Vermont and New York for other competitions.

He also met with filmmakers to shoot skiing scenes. Skiing since age 2, Paradise quickly moved to racing but didn’t move to freestyle until he was in eighth grade.

As he makes a name for himself in the pro skiing world, he knows his past could have hindered him.

“I never went to a ski academy, but West was pretty cool with letting me out early sometimes to go ski,” Paradise said. “Other guys in my profession went to ski academies, but I didn’t have that chance, so I’d compete on weekends instead.”

While his lack of experience hasn’t hurt him, injuries have. Maintaining a healthy status hasn’t been easy for Paradise, who’s had a season-ending injury every year thus far.

His biggest blow came last April when competing in Aspen, Colo., Paradise attempted a stunt, blowing out his knee just four days before leaving for a European competition. Paradise got the news he’d sprained his MCL, leaving him sidelined the rest of the year.

“Because it takes such a toll on my body, I want to try and get things done while I’m young,” said Paradise. “There’s always time for other things, like school, later. Right now, I’m just enjoying the fact I can travel and get paid for doing something I love.”