Although most states across the country are beginning to relax their stay-at-home orders as infections and deaths from the coronavirus subside, fallout from the pandemic persists.
On Tuesday, COVID-19 claimed another event with news that the 25th annual Manning Passing Academy, which had been scheduled for June 25-28 at Nicholls State University, had been canceled for the first time since its inception.
“When it comes to our camp and all that’s going on, there are a lot of negative words involved,” Archie Manning told NOLA.com. “One of the words is ‘camp.’ ‘Dormitory’ is not a good word. ‘Cafeteria’ is probably not a good word. And just the idea of hundreds and hundreds of people from other states invading Lafourche Parish is probably not good.”
The yearly camp, which is put on by Archie Manning and his three sons, Eli, Peyton and Cooper, hosts over 1,000 football players from grades 8-12 annually. It also regularly features some of the nation’s top collegiate quarterbacks and even some NFL quarterbacks, all of whom serve as counselors.
In their cancellation announcement, the Manning Passing Academy says that all payments and information will be rolled over into 2021, where the event is scheduled to take place from June 24-27. They will also be offering one-year exemptions for all seniors who have graduated or are graduating in 2020.
