Lewiston firefighter Richard Paradis will play in the Maine Amateur, which begins Tuesday at Purpoodock Club in Cape Elizabeth. The graduate of St. Dominic Academy and 2009 Travis Roy Award winner in hockey and helped the Saints’ golf team win to state titles. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Richard Paradis had a crazy round when he qualified for the Maine Amateur for the first time in 2023.

He notched his first career hole-in-one on the short and elevated par-3 12th hole at Fox Ridge Golf Club, while also recording three double bogeys and three birdies for a 2-over-par 74, finishing second, a stroke behind Dylan Burton.

But he didn’t play in the Maine Amateur last year, and for a good reason: the birth of his son, Dominic.

Now possessing new-dad wisdom, the St. Dominic Academy graduate and winner of the 2009 Travis Roy Award as the outstanding senior in Class A boys hockey, qualified for the Maine Am again this year. And this time, he’s expecting to play in the tournament, which runs Tuesday through Thursday at Purpoodock Club in Cape Elizabeth.

“Last year in the qualifier, I had a hole-in-one, two or three doubles and a lot of birdies,” Paradis, who lives in Lewiston, said. “This year, I tried to keep it even-keel and tried to make pars. That’s my goal: go out there and try to make pars and give yourself a birdie look and make the most birdies you can.”

Paradis, who has worked for the Lewiston fire department for the past eight years, tied for second when he fired a 2-over 73 at this year’s qualifier. He had 13 pars, two birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey to finish one stroke back Steve Lycette.

There was familiarity for Paradis on both courses, since he played golf all four years at St. Dom’s, which uses Fox Ridge as its home course, and he’s a member at Martindale, the location of one of this year’s qualifiers.

“When I saw there was going to be a qualifier at Martindale, I was definitely excited — because obviously, I play that course multiple times a week,” Paradis said. “Last year, Fox Ridge, I played that 100 times, but going down to Purpoodock, it’s going to be different.”

Paradis was one of five Martindale members to get through the qualifier on their home course on June 4. The others include Lycette, Ashley Fifield, Kelly Cates and Adam Poulin. Kevin Shrader just missed qualifying and is an alternate for the tournament.

Paradis didn’t feel any extra pressure to qualify this time.

“I thought it was a little easier,” Paradis said of his second go-around. “That first tee shot, I was nervous, but I had my wife (Kaitlyn) caddie for me this year. So we found a babysitter and she was out there with me caddying. It was pretty cool to have her out there. She calmed the storm on the few blow-up holes.”

Paradis, an assistant coach on St. Dom’s 2019 Class A state hockey championship team, will have someone else close to him as his caddy at Purpoodock, a former rival on the ice and his best man at his wedding, Jake Brown, a 2008 Lewiston graduate.

“The guy who’s going to caddy for me this year is a member there, and he was the best man at my wedding,” Paradis said. “I have played it a few times, but it’s a difficult course; it’s going to play tough.”

Purpoodock is a par 71 and just over 6,400 yards long.

REGAINING COMPETITIVENESS

Paradis has never been hesitant to challenge himself in athletics. When he attended the University of Maine in the fall of 2009, he tried to walk on the Black Bears’ NCAA Division I hockey team, months after he put up 21 goals and 29 assists as a defenseman in his Travis Roy Award-winning season.

He didn’t make the team but enjoyed the experience of skating with the Black Bears.

He also competed in a couple of Charlie’s Maine Open golf tournaments when they were at Fox Ridge during his high school years.

Paradis, who helped the Saints win the 2007 and 2008 Class C state golf championships, returned to competitive golf to see if he still had the game to play at the highest in the state.

“We play a lot of money matches at Martindale with a bunch of guys, and I love playing for the pride of beating people,” Paradis said. “I’ve always had a competitive spirit, really. I think I let a lot of years, when my game was good, go by, where I could have qualified and I didn’t. So I think it was a good time for me to get back into it.

Paradis isn’t expecting a top-10 finish in his first major tournament — other than the two qualifiers — since the fall of 2008, but he hopes to play all three days at the Maine Amateur.

“My goal this year is to make the cut,” Paradis said. “This will be my first competitive tournament in 10-15 years. Pars are the goal, and make as many birdies as I can. But, yeah, stay even and we will have a good shot.”