(That’s not the real name of the team, it’s actually the Hornets)
One Arkansas high school football player found out he had a stowaway right in the midst of preseason practices.
A Maumelle High School football player discovered he was sharing his helmet with a venomous snake.
The player had been practicing with a cottonmouth, a venomous snake native to the Natural State, tucked inside the padding of his helmet. The snake went undetected throughout drills until the player felt something moving inside his helmet.
After alerting the coaching staff, coaches discovered the snake, which was about 2 feet long, coiled inside the helmet lining.
Cottonmouth bites can cause significant pain, swelling and tissue damage. While fatalities are rare, bites can require prompt medical treatment to limit complications.
Located just outside of Little Rock, Maumelle Animal Services responded to the scene and carefully removed the cottonmouth from the helmet without incident. The snake was safely relocated to a wooded area away from school grounds.
Luckily, despite wearing the snake-filled helmet for more than an hour in the sweltering Arkansas heat, the player was not bitten or otherwise injured. He was provided with a new helmet.
The incident served as a reminder for the football team: Check your gear before putting it on.
School officials have reminded athletes to inspect their equipment thoroughly before each practice.
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