NOTES AND QUOTES for a Saturday in the Napa Valley:

John Madden’s announcement Thursday that he was retiring from broadcasting took me back to an earlier time in my life, when I was covering a football game for my high school newspaper at San Ramon Valley-Danville, “The Wolf Print.”

I was standing near the field, keeping stats, taking notes and following the action on a Friday night. During a break from play, I heard someone close by ask, “What are you doing?”

When I turned around, I saw Madden. He was directing the question at me.

It was the early ’70s, when Madden was head coach of the Oakland Raiders. I knew who he was — practically the whole neighborhood where I grew up was made up of loyal Raider fans.

I remember saying, “I’m a sportswriter and I’m covering the game for my paper.” I was just 15 or 16 at the time.

It was a conversation that lasted only a few minutes or so. But Madden took the time to ask how I tracked the play by play and the system I used for charting the game. He seemed genuinely interested in what I was doing as a student — and it left a profound impression on me.

We talked about the game we were watching and the Raiders. He said he had a break from his coaching duties and wanted to catch a high school game.

Madden, a Hall of Fame coach and the most honored NFL broadcaster of all time, has served as the game analyst for “NBC Sunday Night Football” since 2006. He was in the booth for 30 years and won an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Sports Analyst/Personality.

Prior to joining the broadcasting ranks, Madden had an outstanding career as coach of the Raiders. He guided the Raiders to an overall record of 103-32-7, leading the team to seven AFC Western Division titles and a victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI.

Madden’s .750 winning percentage is the best of any head coach in NFL history.

In 2006, Madden was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a head coach.

A linebackers coach when he began his NFL coaching career with Oakland in 1967, Madden became the head coach in 1969 at age 33, the youngest head coach in the American Football League.

He retired in 1979 and started his broadcasting career at CBS later that same year. He was the lead NFL analyst for FOX from 1994-2002 and the analyst for ABC’s “Monday Night Football” for four years before he went to NBC Sports in 2006.

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Vintage High School’s Lonnie Handy won the pole vault, going 13-6 at the Easter Invitational at San Joaquin Delta College-Stockton last Saturday and receiving the gold medal in an Olympic-style presentation in front of the grandstands.

Handy beat eight other vaulters in the track and field meet. San Joaquin Delta put in a Mondo Super X Track last fall.

Handy has been accepted to Montana State University, where he will be playing football and pole vaulting.

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Sarah Feddersen of Marysville High and Cameron Rehm from Ayala High-Chino Hills have been selected as the spring 2009 recipients of the prestigious CIF Spirit of Sport Award.

The two statewide winners will receive an award and be recognized at the year-end CIF Federated Council dinner May 8 in San Jose. In addition, the year’s six winners each will be awarded $500, while all finalists receive a Spirit of Sport medal.

The CIF Spirit of Sport Award recognizes student-athletes who have demonstrated the 16 principles of Pursuing Victory with Honors, are active in school and community service, and who exhibit leadership qualities.

Feddersen is a four-year member of the basketball, cross country, and track and field teams, and has earned numerous awards for her academic, athletic and leadership achievements.

Rehm is a four-year member of the swimming and water polo teams, serving as team captain of both squads.

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Lauren Polansky, a 5-foot-9 senior guard for Branson-Ross, was named to the 29th annual all-State girls basketball team by CalHiSports.com.

Polansky, a Third-Team selection, led the Bulls to a fifth straight CIF North Coast Section crown, averaging 13.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 6.4 steals per game.

Branson lost in the Division V Northern Regional.

Polansky, who is headed to Princeton, was the San Francisco Chronicle North Bay Player of the Year.

Branson and Justin-Siena are Marin County Athletic League schools.

E-mail Executive Sports Editor Marty James at mjames@napanews.com or call 256-2223.