When playing any sport outdoors, it is important to be aware of the significance of sun protection and what can happen if it is not paid attention to. Footballers often spend prolonged amounts of time in the sun, so the Melanoma Fund is dedicated to improving sun safety protocols within County FAs and ensuring player and coach wellbeing remains a top priority.

National charity the Melanoma Fund bring awareness and education, promoting the prevention of all types of skin cancer which can be caused by excessive time in the sun without proper protection. In 2014, they introduced sun protection to the sports and outdoor sector and, currently, they offer free sun protection resources to improve understanding. Together with the Essex County FA, the Melanoma Fund wants to improve this and make sure players and coaches remain safe.

Despite the fact outdoor sport remains popular amongst young people, particularly in the summer months, sun protection is still a ‘missed shot’ across all stages, especially at grassroots level. Since exposure to the sun remains constant throughout the year for football players, without the correct protection, young players are at risk of sunburn, which can lead to many issues later on.

The Fund’s ‘Outdoor Kids Sun Safety Code’ is a free educational resource available for all sports clubs and individuals. It educates on all aspects of sun and heat protection, provides necessary awareness materials and provides communication support to parents. The ‘Sun-Sorted!’ quiz is a great way to educate children about the importance of staying safe in the sun. The Melanoma Fund details five main rules:

1. Prepare
2. Protect
3. Shade
4. Hydrate
5. Lead by Example

If you provide outdoor sports activities, you can sign-up for the Fund’s free Sunguarding Course and gain your Sunguarding accreditation. This course will provide you with practical tips around sun protection, bring an awareness of skin cancer and early detection, teach you how to identify and mitigate the risks of heat-related illnesses and guide you on how to incorporate this knowledge into your sessions.

You can find out more about the Melanoma Fund and their Sunguarding Course by following this link. You can also interact with us by following @EssexCountyFA on X and by searching for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.