Leadership seems to come naturally for Samuel Petersen.

The 6-foot-2, 220-pound offensive and defensive lineman earned varsity minutes this season as a freshman for Lakeside (Seattle). In five games, he recorded 12 tackles.

Away from the gridiron, Petersen is equally impressive: He has already achieved the honor of Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts.

Petersen’s maturity and willingness to lead by example shined through this summer at the National Team Development Games, where he was named a Values Captain.

The honor meant a good deal to the precocious ninth grader.

“In this life, we can have everything taken away from us, and many people have. But the true definition of who you are is how you keep your integrity,” he said. “It is the only thing that can't be taken from you. All the virtues together equal the measure of your integrity. That's the man I strive to be, a man of integrity.”

The USA Football Values Captains program highlights players who exemplify the positive qualities that football teaches and fosters.

Petersen already has plans to put his values into action in his post-football career. He hopes to graduate from West Point and become a neurosurgeon, with the ultimate goal of becoming the Surgeon General of the United States Army.