A high school football player at Maumelle High School in Arkansas spent an hour practicing with a venomous snake inside his helmet. The player alerted his defensive coach after noticing unusual movement inside the helmet padding, prompting coaches to discover the wriggling creature.
The defensive coach alerted Athletic Director Kirk Horton, who found the snake hiding underneath the padding. The roughly two-foot-long reptile proved difficult to remove from the equipment.
"It really was just shock and disbelief," Horton told KARK. "I've got a better shot at winning the lottery than seeing this in my ten years."
Snake discovery and removal
Staff used a tote bag to secure the helmet and snake before calling Animal Services to the high school. Officers examined the equipment on arrival and confirmed the presence of the reptile.
"When the officers got there and stuff, they examined the helmet, and at that time they could see that there was a snake in the helmet," Animal Services Director Chris Davis said, via KATV. "They verified it was not a copperhead, but it possibly was a cottonmouth or a water snake."
The animal was eventually determined to be a cottonmouth. Because cottonmouth snakes seek shelter in dark, protected spaces, responders had to flood the helmet padding with water to safely capture and remove the snake.
Officers then relocated the creature to a forested area far away from the school campus. Davis stated that the player was fortunate not to be bitten during the practice session.
"The cottonmouth, in my opinion, is probably the second most venomous snake here in Arkansas," Davis warned. "I would say the rattlesnake is probably the number one."
Equipment safety advice
Despite his years of experience in animal control, Davis admitted the call out was unlike any other he had encountered.
"I've removed a snake out of a car vent, in the engine, purses, backpacks," Davis said. "In a helmet? Never. It was very unreal. You had to kind of be there and take pictures to say this was real."
The player received a replacement helmet and continued practicing after the shocking ordeal. Later in the day, the team hosted a scheduled safety meeting where players received a simple message to inspect their equipment before putting it on to prevent a similar incident.
