It was June 2011, and USPA excitedly announced its newest program. We had named it Sisters in Skydiving. We had no idea how the skydiving community would receive the program or whether it would succeed. But we knew one thing: We needed to do something to encourage more woman to take up and stick with the sport.

Now, as Sisters in Skydiving celebrates its eighth anniversary, the program has become a household name in skydiving, and women across the U.S. and around the globe proudly call themselves Big and Little Sisters and participate in SIS events. Drop zones, too, have embraced SIS, and each year dozens of SIS events fill DZ calendars.

While the percentage of female USPA members has remained steady, it seems now more than ever that women make up a more consistent and active part of fun jumpers at any given DZ. The program has certainly helped foster a more welcome atmosphere and support network for women new to the sport, helping female students and novices progress in a comfortable, nurturing environment. Over the past eight years, SIS has helped women of all ages and backgrounds overcome so many of the challenges of being a new female skydiver in a predominantly male sport.

The core idea behind SIS is to create one-on-one mentor relationships between experienced female skydivers and those women just starting in skydiving, with the goal of getting more women to progress and stick with the sport. A Big Sister can be a friend, role model and mentor, giving her Little Sister someone to talk to about issues she may have as she progresses in skydiving. A Big Sis can be a sounding board for her Little Sister to share her fears or difficulties; she can introduce her Little Sis to other skydivers to jump or socialize with; she can help with equipment selection or refer her to someone who can; and she can let her Little Sister know that whatever struggles she’s going through in the sport, she’s not alone.

When USPA first introduced SIS, we imagined and hoped that female up-jumpers would respond enthusiastically and offer to act as Big Sisters. But we also left the program open-ended, hoping that our female USPA members would bring their own ideas and shape SIS into what they wanted it to be.

The response from female jumpers far exceeded any expectations. Not only did women sign up as Big Sisters, they came up with many ways to unite female skydivers of all skill levels. With everything from weekend-long SIS events to monthly gatherings to dinners to simply skydiving together, Sisters in Skydiving has created lasting bonds among female skydivers.

Even women who have yet to make a first skydive now often reach out to USPA in search of a Big Sister before their first trip to the drop zone. USPA regularly receives emails such as this one:

“I am a new student to the world of skydiving, and although scared out of my mind most of the time, I LOVE IT! I would love to have the opportunity to meet someone who I could talk to or to have a SIS. Someone who can give advice and help calm these crazy psycho nerves. I’m pursuing this by myself, so quite frankly it’s been a very stressful dream to pursue, but I have given such devotion to the sport, I don’t want to give up.” —Dezi Strang

USPA then reaches out to the Big Sisters in that area and connects the new jumper with the local women. In this case, Strang later wrote, “Words cannot express my gratitude for your help! Very thankful this program is available and looking forward to interacting with these women. I know I’ll learn a lot from them and hopefully these darn nerves will subside sooner than later.”

Big Sisters also have had a great impact on first-time jumpers, making them feel welcome at the DZ and sharing information about pursuing the sport. One example comes from Big Sis Sandra Doyle Drahman in Southern California: “A couple weeks ago a bunch of us were prepping for a dive for the WSOS [Women Skydivers Over Sixty] record. There were two young women sitting watching the dirt dive. Several of us took the time to talk with them, learn their names and tell them what we love about our sport, including how to get more out of the tandem experience. We did the same with the girl who jumped afterwards, including telling her about SIS and that she would have a fun, supportive, safe group of sisters if she decided to return.”

While encouraging female students and first-timers is an essential component of SIS, most experienced female jumpers know SIS as a way to gather women together for fun in the air and on the ground at SIS events. Featuring everything from onesie and unicorn jumps, pajama and costume parties, canopy courses and morning yoga, SIS events have become a staple on most female jumpers’ calendars.

Now, eight years after its inception, Sisters in Skydiving continues to flourish, with nearly 800 registered Big Sisters around the world. The SIS program has become an enduring format for uniting female jumpers, creating countless smiles and building friendships that will last for years to come.

To learn more about SIS or to register as a Big Sister, go to the Membership dropdown menu at uspa.org.