KATV Channel 7 - The Spirit of Arkansas: Athletes and Skin Cancer

As spring gets closer, more and more kids are hitting the practice fields for soccer, track and baseball. No doubt their trainers and coaches will be working to keep them safe on the field but more often than not, coaches overlook one big risk.

That risk is skin cancer. There are more than one million, non-melanoma cases of skin cancer diagnosed each year and doctors say most of those are caused by the sun.

They will wear pads. They will tape up fragile ankles. And they will stretch to avoid muscle strains. But will they use sunscreen?

Mary Ellen, 16, says, "It doesn't really cross my mind to use it during workouts."

Mary Hollis, 18, says, "I mean my mom talks to me about it. And I usually start thinking about it when I actually feel like I'm getting burned. But by then, I'm already running, and it's too late."

"I would say most people do not use it," say Dean, 18.

A study by a University of Cincinnati Dermatologist shows that only 15-percent of student athletes regularly use sunscreen.

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's Pediatric Oncologist, Dr. Louis Rapkin says"Skin cancer is one of the most rapidly growing cancers in the world. The rates are increasing, period, for every age group at every level. We've all heard about the ozone layer and other natural defenses breaking down. So there's higher amounts of radiation making it to the earth's surface."

He says the job of looking ahead and protecting kids begins with the parents.

"It's a culture mind-set. It needs to start in childhood, where, anytime a child goes out who's 3, 4, 6, 10, they go and they automatically reach for the sunscreen, and their parent automatically puts it on," says Dr. Rapkin

For older kids, who never got into the habit, coaches and trainers can help.

"I say, 'make sure you have your own next week. Put it in your bag. If you don't have it, I've got it. But be sure that you get your own and bring your own. And usually within the first week or two, they have their own,"  says Certified Athletic Trainer, Geoff Koteles

"I mean if they provided it and it was right there and really easy, then I'm sure more kids would be inclined to use it," says, Mary Ellen.

The American Cancer Society predicts there will be nearly 60,000 cases of melanoma diagnosed this year. They say one in every six of those cases will be fatal.