Paul Vallerga was a three-sport star at Napa High School in track, basketball and football. He was a starter for one of the best basketball teams in Napa High’s history in 1964 when they won the league championship and lost in the finals of the Tournament of Champions. In 1963 and 1964 Vallerga was two-time league high jump champion, two-time Hollister Tourney high jump champion, and set the Napa High high jump record in 1964. He finished third in the North Coast Section high jump competition. He was a two-year starter for the Indian football team, and in 1963 was named Co-outstanding Back, All-League Flanker Back and Player of the Game against Hogan and Vallejo. He helped lead Napa to a league championship and was named All-North Coast Section Flanker, National Foundation Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete, and 1964 N.H.S. Athlete of the Year. Vallerga continued to add to his laurels at U.C. Santa Barbara, where he set a freshman high jump record and as a senior, finished second in the 1968 college division regionals and tied for sixth in the college division nationals. He was the Outstanding Back on the U.C.S.B. freshman team and a three-year varsity player, where his honors included: Co-captain 1967; first string All-Coast Defensive Back 1966, second team Little All-American Defensive Back 1966, second team All-Coast Flanker 1967, first team Coaches All-America (college division) Defensive Back 1967, Most Valuable Player U.C.S.B. 1966 and 1967. He was selected to play in the North-South Shrine game in 1967 and in the Coaches All-American game in Atlanta in 1968. He was the Santa Barbara Athlete Round Table Athlete of the Year in 1968 and is a member of the U.C.S.B. Hall of Fame. He holds the U.C.S.B. records for most interceptions in a game, season and career. Vallerga signed a professional contract with the San Francisco 49ers in 1968.
