Communicating about Youth’s Sun Exposure Risk to Soccer Coaches and Parents: A Pilot Study in Georgia

Abstract

Efforts to increase the sun-protective behaviors of children were extended to outdoor recreational sports and youth soccer settings in this study. The pretest results of a pilot survey of coaches (n= 12), parents (n= 50), and youths (n= 61) on eight soccer teams in south Georgia were used to guide the development of a health education program for coaches. In the pilot program, half the coaches were trained to be involved in soccer-playing youths’ sun protection by acting as positive role models and promoting sun protection to youths and their parents. The pilot demonstrated coaches’ willingness to participate in sun protection promotion to youth: Youths indicated that coaches and parents were more likely to tell youths to wear sunscreen after the training than before, and coaches perceived getting youths to wear sunscreen to be less difficult than before.