That would have been my last day on the team.
We’re just a few days away from high school football season kicking off, and teams around the country are hard at work getting in their final days of practice before the first games of the season.
But one football player in Arkansas might be questioning just how much he wants to suit up after finding an unexpected surprise in his helmet during practice.
According to KARK, a player at Maumelle High School discovered a venomous snake inside of his helmet while working out last week.
The team was reportedly working out with their position groups when the player felt the animal moving inside of the padding of his helmet. His coach then alerted the athletic director, who secured the helmet in a tote while contacting animal control.
Maumelle Animal Services Director Chris Davis says the snake determined to be a 2-foot long cottonmouth, a venomous snake (also known as a water moccasin) native to the southeastern United States. The snake was ultimately removed from the helmet and relocated into the forest.
Athletic Director Kirk Horton expressed his shock at the incident, saying it’s something he’s never seen before in his career:
“It really was just shock and disbelief. I’ve got a better shot at winning the lottery than seeing this in my ten years.”
Ultimately the player was given a different helmet and returned to practice, but he’s lucky that he wasn’t bitten while the snake was in his helmet: Cottonmouth bites cause intense swelling and pain, and ultimately can cause tissue damage and necrosis, though deaths are extremely rare.
After the shocking discovery, the Maumelle Animal Shelter issued a warning to athletes to check their gear, especially if it’s being stored outside:
“Today, Maumelle Animal Services responded to an unusual situation at Maumelle High School. A student put on his helmet, only to discover that a venomous snake had taken up residence inside!
Thankfully, everyone is okay, but this is an important reminder that snakes and other critters can find their way into dark, enclosed spaces—especially helmets, shoes, bags, boxes, and other items that are left outside or sitting undisturbed.
Before putting on your helmet, shoes, gloves, or any outdoor gear, always give it a quick check first. It only takes a few seconds and could prevent a very scary encounter—or worse.”
Luckily this one turned out alright, and the player wasn’t bitten – which is kind of shocking given the fact that I assume the snake was rattled (no pun intended) around pretty violently as the player went through practice. But man, this would have been my sign to find something else to do with my time. You never hear about snakes getting inside a chess player’s gear.
