A Maumelle High School student in Arkansas discovered a venomous snake inside his football helmet during practice on Thursday, an incident that could have been life-threatening.
The student had been warming up and running around for over an hour when he noticed something unusual about his equipment. He soon realized there was movement inside the helmet.
“I really was just shock and disbelief,” the student said. “I’ve got a better chance of winning the lottery than seeing this in my 10 years.”
The student immediately handed the helmet to a coaching staff member, who passed it to coach Kirk Horton. Horton found a poisonous cottonmouth snake nestled between the padding and the exterior shell.
Maumelle Animal Services Director Chris Davis confirmed that the snake was identified as a cottonmouth, which can damage blood vessels, break down red blood cells, and even cause fatalities. The University of Georgia states that such bites typically occur when individuals attempt to handle, kill, or intentionally harass the snake.
Davis, who has removed snakes from car vents, engines, purses, and backpacks, said this was one of the most unusual incidents he had ever encountered. “In a helmet? Never,” he remarked.
Davis also noted that cottonmouths are likely the second most venomous snakes in Arkansas, with rattlesnakes being the most dangerous. He added: “It was very unreal. You had to be there and take pictures to say this was real.”
While most athletes at Maumelle High School typically worry about hydration or injuries during practice, students now face an additional threat from potentially deadly snakes.
