Tennis matches can be long, and while players are focused on the next volley and the outcome of the game the thought of getting sunburned is not often a concern.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight causes nearly all skin cancer cases. The risk for skin cancer can be greatly reduced when certain precautions are practiced.

“Whether it’s practice, warm-ups or playing a match, tennis players are under constant exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays,” said Program Advocate with Oswego County Opportunities (OCO) Cancer Prevention in Action program Christina Wallace. “OCO’s Cancer Prevention in Action program focuses on educating community members on what they can do to prevent cancer. When OHS Buccaneer Booster Penny Foster-Pratt contacted us about the program we knew it was a great opportunity to educate the players and the coaching staff on the importance of sun safety and what they can do to help prevent skin cancer.”

Wallace met with Buccaneer Sports Boosters to draft a sun safety policy to put into action practices to protect athletes from the harmful UV rays from the sun.

“Penny and Buc Sports Booster Board President Sean Callen were very receptive to the idea. We established a sun safety policy that highlights the importance of limiting exposure to sunlight and how to protect themselves when they are outside. Even on cloudy or hazy days unseen UV sun rays can cause an unexpected sunburn resulting in lasting damage that could lead to skin cancer later in life,” said Wallace.

The Buccaneer Sports Booster sun safety policy encourages players and coaches to follow the following sun safety tips:

• Wear sunglasses that protect 100% of the sun’s UVA and UVB rays
• Seek shade when needed
• Wear full brimmed hats
• Wear long sleeve shirts and long pants when exposed to long periods of sun
• Apply full-spectrum (UVA & UVB) sunscreen (SPF 15 or greater) to exposed skin 30 minutes before going outside in the sun.
• Seek shade when outside in the sun

“We appreciate the enthusiasm we received from Penny, Sean, and the Buccaneer Sports Boosters for this project and for acknowledging how important sun safety is,” added OCO Health & Nutrition Services Director of Operations Leanna Cleveland. “The Cancer Prevention in Action program focuses on policies that serve as catalysts for environmental changes. Sun safety is paramount in preventing skin cancer and melanoma and we are happy to be partnering with the Oswego Buccaneer Sports Boosters on their sun safety policy. We also provided them with two E-Z Up tents to help protect athletes at both home and away games.”

Oswego County Opportunities is a subcontractor of the St. Lawrence Health Initiative to deliver the Cancer Prevention in Action grant locally in Oswego County. To learn more about the Cancer Prevention in Action Program, which is supported with funds from the state of New York, please visit takeactionagainstcancer.com.

OCO is a private, non-profit agency that has been supporting communities throughout Oswego County since 1966. A member agency of the United Way of Greater Oswego County, OCO provides more than 50 vital services throughout 100 separate locations. For more information, visit www.oco.org.