Green Brook Native To Compete In Winter Paraolympics

GREEN BROOK, NJ — Green Brook native and Watchung Hills Regional High School Josh Pauls is heading to the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.

Pauls will be competing with Team USA in Sled Hockey as a defenseman. This is his third time heading to the Paralympic Winter Games.

A two-time gold medalist, Pauls had previously competed in the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games and Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

Pauls' love for sled hockey came at an early age. Born in New Brunswick, Pauls had hopes of becoming the first NHL goalie with no legs. He was born without tibia bones and had both legs amputated at 10 months old.

He convinced his parents, Tony and Deborah, to join a local team, the New York Rangers Junior Sled Hockey club team in 2002.

He then was invited to the USA Hockey Development Camp in 2007. And in 2008, he made his U.S. National Sled Hockey Team debut.

In 2010, at age 17, he was the youngest member of the gold medal-winning squad at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. He competed and won gold again in Sochi and was named Best Defenseman at the 2015 World Championships and 2016 Pan Pacific Championships.

His hobbies include cooking, playing video games, watching hockey and football. His idol is U.S. ice hockey player, Zach Parise.

U.S. Olympic Winter Games Paralympic sled hockey player Josh Pauls poses for a portrait at the 2017 Team USA media summit Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017, in Park City, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

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