The Arizona Cardinals came up short in the 2009 Super Bowl, but starting guard Deuce Lutui is a winner nonetheless. The 300-pounder became an Eagle Scout in 1999 and proves himself every day—both on and off the field.
A native of Mesa, Arizona, Lutui played football at the University of Southern California, where he was a member of the 2004 NCAA championship team. But where he really shines is in his community, as Alvin Townley describes in his upcoming book Spirit of Adventure: Eagle Scouts and the Making of America's Future (St. Martin's Press, May 2009). On his days off, Lutui spends countless hours working with Cardinals charities and with his own youth football camp. In fact, among his first requests when he joined the Cardinals was the opportunity to participate in as many charity projects as possible.
Lutui's commitment to service stems from Scouting. "More than anything, Scouts taught me service—to serve my troop, my country, to really serve others all around us," he told Townley. "That's what we did in Scouting, and it taught me a lot."
"I always tell the kids to be prepared," he said. "That's the Scout motto, and it goes a long way. I'm lucky I can help teach that to kids. Being able to outreach to communities where I grew up and to really be involved in that has been a blessing. It reminds me to pay it forward. And knowing these kids look up to me, I always play a little harder on Sunday."