High school football player in Arkansas practices with a venomous snake in his helmet

Maumelle, Ark. (AP) — A high school football player in Arkansas discovered a venomous snake inside his helmet during practice last week. The 2-foot cottonmouth snake was found behind some padding and proved difficult to remove from the helmet. Police officers had to pour water into the snake to force it out and into a bag. Animal services technicians arrived soon after and identified the snake as a cottonmouth, one of the most venomous snakes in Arkansas.

The player, who did not panic, merely switched to a different helmet and resumed practice. The incident prompted the head coach to remind his team to inspect equipment thoroughly before use, to guard against potential hazards, both small and large.