As the football season quickly approaches, high school teams across Arkansas are ramping up their practices in preparation for the upcoming games. In a scary turn of events, one Maumelle High School player discovered he had been unknowingly sharing his helmet with a dangerous reptile for more than an hour during an August practice session.
The player from Maumelle High School had been practicing with a cottonmouth, one of the most venomous snakes native to Arkansas, nestled in the padding of his helmet.
The snake went undetected throughout drills until the player noticed persistent discomfort and alerted the coaching staff. Upon closer inspection, the coaches were stunned to find the two-foot-long Cottonmouth coiled inside the helmet lining.
Cottonmouth
snakes possess potent venom that, if bitten, can cause intense pain, swelling, and tissue damage. Although deaths are uncommon, prompt medical treatment is essential to prevent lasting tissue loss or scarring.
Maumelle Animal Services responded to the scene and carefully extracted the cottonmouth from the helmet without incident. The snake was safely relocated to a wooded area far from the school grounds.
Luckily, despite wearing the snake-filled helmet for over an hour in the sweltering Arkansas heat, the player was unscathed and was provided with a new helmet.
School officials have reminded athletes to inspect their gear thoroughly before each practice.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Venomous snake found inside Arkansas high school football player's helmet
