At the age of 18, Tim Jones (Mt. Ephraim, N.J.) is one of a handful of players that are beginning to change the face of the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team.

The speedy, physical forward will play on a line that also features 18-year-old Alexi Salamone (Grand Island, N.Y.) and 20-year-old Bradley Emmerson (Amherst, N.Y.) when the U.S. squad heads over to Torino, Italy, for the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games.

Even though he has played against international competition many times since being named to the U.S. Paralympics Sled Hockey National Team in 2005, Jones said it will be a completely different experience when he goes out for his first shift of that first game in Torino.

“I’ll be the most nervous guy you’ve ever seen,” Jones said.

Despite his nerves, Jones is thankful for the opportunity.

“It’s incredible that I got the honor to represent my country and put on that USA jersey,” Jones said.

The New Jersey native will be putting the USA jersey on at the Paralympic Games just six years after getting into a sled for the first time with the South Jersey Wings of Steel, the junior team that gave him his start.

For Jones, who was born with spina bifida and had tried his hand at able-bodied sports, sled hockey gave him a chance to level the playing field.

“I was able to play against kids like me,” Jones said.

Eventually, Jones began to outgrow playing on a junior club team. He was able to skate around most of the kids he played against at will, and could dominate a game. Since moving up to the international level, however, things have changed.

“The game’s basically a lot faster and they hit twice is hard,” Jones said. “Everyone knows where they’re supposed to be.”

The increased skill and pace of the international has forced Jones, who considers his speed to be his biggest asset, to improve his game by working extensively on his puck-handling skills.

The increased stick handling has come in handy for Jones, who started out as a defenseman with South Jersey, but has been converted to a forward on the U.S. squad. He credits veteran forward Lonnie Hannah (Mansfield, Texas) for helping him to make the switch.

“He basically took me under his wing and showed me how to play the position,” Jones said.

Now, matched up with Emmerson and Salamone, Jones says the young line brings a lot of energy to every shift.

“We go into every shift like it’s our last,” Jones said.

As the young trio showed at the USA Cup, Feb. 9-12 in Colorado Springs, Colo., the line will bring speed, intensity and aggressiveness to the team, as well as an ability to rattle opposing squads.

In the USA’s first game of the tournament against Canada, Jones drew a penalty against Canadian goalie Paul Rosen when he crashed the net looking for a scoring chance on a rebound. That evening, Jones and his linemates helped to provide a spark for the U.S. as they came from behind in the third period to defeat Germany, 3-2.

The following night, all three members of the line scored goals in a 9-1 rout of Germany. Jones’ goal came in the third period, when he skated in to his right and fired a shot to the top left corner of the net, which was past the German goaltender before he could react.

The line first skated together during practices in preparation for a three-game series with Canada in October of 2005. Jones said the chemistry was there right away.

“We just clicked the first minute,” Jones said.

On and off the ice, he has been able to bond with Emmerson, which has allowed Jones to step up his game and play with confidence, knowing that he has a friend on the ice.

“Brad’s become like my brother,” Jones said. “If I get in a scrum, he’s there for me. If he gets in a scrum, I’ve got his back”

As the Paralympic Games draw closer, Jones is training two to three hours a day, seven days a week. Every day, he’s focusing on a different aspect of his game so he can be at his best when he gets to Torino.

After the Games are over, and the focus shifts to Vancouver in 2010, Jones says another young group of players are waiting for their chance to represent the U.S.

“We could be even better in 2010 than we are now,” Jones said.