Here is the release sent out by the team announcing that assistant athletic trainer Jason Serbus will join Team USA as athletic trainer for the 2007 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament from Monday through Aug. 24 in Strakonice, Tabor and Pribram, Czech Republic.

“It’s an honor to be invited by my country to work with top 21 U.S. players in their age group,” Serbus said. “These players are the best in their age group now and they will be future NHLers, so it’s an honor to be a part of it.”

It is Serbus’ fourth time representing his country at the Five Nations Tournament.  He has previously attended tournaments in Switzerland, Germany and the United States.  He is one of seven staff members which also includes an equipment manager from the Minnesota Wild and one doctor.

The Five Nations Tournament will host teams from the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland and the United States.  Team USA opens the tournament Monday when it takes on Slovakia in Pribram.  They will then play their remaining three games against Germany (Tuesday), Switzerland (Wednesday) and Czech Republic (Aug. 24) in Strakonice.  The team will be in the Czech Republic for 10 days, including two exhibition games and four tournament games.

Team members were chosen from the 2007 USA Hockey Select 16 Player Development Camp, which was held June 23-29 at the ESL Sports Centre in Rochester, N.Y., and featured many of America’s best hockey players born in 1991.  The team will be based in Prague.

Serbus, 32, joined Tampa Bay for the 2005-06 season.  He has a bachelor’s degree in pre-medicine from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls and a Master of Arts in Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology from the University of Northern Colorado.  Prior to joining the Lightning he served as the head athletic trainer for the Pensacola Ice Pilots of the ECHL and has worked with many USA Hockey teams.