Peyton Manning To High School Athletes: Be Proud Of Your Accomplishments

LOVELAND, Colo. (CBS4) - Peyton Manning told high school athletes in Loveland on Tuesday that they should cherish their accomplishments.

Speaking at the Northern Colorado Sports Awards on Tuesday night at the Budweiser Events Center, the former Denver Broncos quarterback said to the crowd that the feeling of winning a Super Bowl is on par with that of winning a state high school championship.

"(It's) is every bit the feeling you think it would be," Manning said, according to a report in the Coloradoan. "It's on the same level of winning a state championship, much like some of the winners in here tonight have accomplished. You work so hard, and it's the ultimate team effort."

Awards were handed out during Tuesday's ceremony to the top high school athletes in the region in every sport. Corte Tapia of Windsor High School got the award for football.

Since his March retirement announcement, Manning hasn't shown up at many public events (see pics from his appearance at a NASCAR event in Tennessee last month). He said so far he's not experiencing any feelings of "withdrawal" that some folks told him he'd go through.

Manning said during his speech that he'll enjoy having some free time this fall to attend Tennessee Volunteers football games and to watch his brother Eli play with the New York Giants.