For a young man such a long way from his home, Van Buren High School senior Peter Dolinsky continues to feel right at home during his second stay in Aroostook County’s St. John Valley.

More to the point, Dolinsky looks so comfortable on the Van Buren High soccer field – especially when he is in close to the net – that one might suspect the 17-year-old native of Bratislova, Slovakia, grew up kicking a black and white checkered ball.

Not so.

Dolinsky is in his second year of playing organized soccer with Van Buren. Yet, the second-year exchange student has been a vital ingredient in Coach Steve Lapierre’s recipe of success this season, helping the Crusaders to an 11-0 record.

Dolinsky scored a team-high 21 goals and assisted on five others during his team’s first 11 games before the potato harvest break. Those numbers are good enough for Dolinsky to become the Bangor Daily News’ first Athlete of the Month for the 1994-95 school year.

The NEWS will honor an athlete who performs at an unusually high level in one game or for an extended period of time every month through next June.

Dolinsky’s ability to score goals has opened the eyes of coaches throughout Aroostook County.

“The first time we played them, their coach had said he was kind of rough around the edges, and he went out and scored five goals and had an assist,” said Washburn coach Larry Worcester. “He had just gotten back to the school the previous Friday and hadn’t even practiced yet. He’s got a cannon of a (left) foot. It doesn’t seem like he’s kicking the ball that hard, but it just explodes of his foot. He catches you by surprise.”

According to a teammate, the addition of the 6-foot-3 Dolinsky has given Van Buren – already a solid ground team – a constant air threat.

“He really gives us an advantage in the air,” said midfielder Ryan Beaulieu. “On the ground, we’ve got a lot of speed but he gives us another strength.”

“When the ball is in the air, he’s a threat anywhere inside the 18,” said Ashland coach Pete Belskis. “That’s a big concern to everybody who has to defense him. Really, I’m not sure anybody can. He jumps real well and his timing skills are good. He’s just a quality player.”

Dolinsky, a left wing, is a constant target for Beaulieu, who leads the team in assists.

“I love playing with him,” Beaulieu said. “You send him anything and he can get to it. He doesn’t panic. He keeps under control and he knows what to do with the ball.”

Dolinsky credits much of his own success to his teammates.

“With players like Ryan Beaulieu and P.J. Madore playing with you, they’re awesome passers. It’s easy to score,” he said.

Dolinsky was raised in Bratislava – the capital of Slovakia. Much in the way Van Buren’s students get together for pick-up basketball games, Dolinsky and his friends would get together for pick-up soccer games.

“I played just for fun,” he said. “We’d just go outdoors and get a bunch of us and play.”

The biggest adjustment for Dolinsky has been off the soccer field. Bratislava, he said, is “about the size of Boston” – a far cry from the small town of Van Buren.

“I like it here,” Dolinsky said. “It’s nice. I know all the people. Sometimes it’s boring, but it’s better because there are no guns or drugs.”

There is plenty of soccer, something Peter Dolinsky has been doing a lot this fall, and scoring plenty of goals in the process.