I don’t think anything can get more Texan than this next sentence: A South Texas school district has issued a warning to football fans and spectators before a game because of a recent “increased presence of rattlesnakes.”
Shortly before the matchup between Riviera Kaufer High School and Corpus Christi John Paul II on Thursday, August 27 in the Texas Coastal Bend, the Riviera Independent School District issued a warning to fans to be on the look out when they arrive for the game. Not for crickets or lions or javelinas or Brahma bulls. But for some slithery creatures who will warn of their presence: rattlesnakes.
“FOOTBALL GAME SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENT: Due to the increased presence of rattlesnakes in the area, we ask all parents and spectators to please use extra caution while attending tonight’s football game,” the Riviera ISD said in a social media before the 7 p.m. kickoff. “For everyone’s safety, please do not allow children to play in the long jump area of the football field or underneath the stadium seating. Please stay alert, supervise children closely, and avoid areas that are not designated for spectators. Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe!”
Riviera, Texas is a small town just 55 miles south of Corpus Christi. The game is the first for the UIL 2A-Division 2 Riviera Kaufer Seahawks while JPII, a TAPPS Division III team out of Corpus Christi, plays in their second. If it wasn’t bad enough you have to worry about the other team, how about worrying about more than the turf monster in the open field? Let’s hope they have a good night of football in Riviera.