Identities of four pickleball players killed in a plane crash in Texas earlier this month have been revealed, as investigators continue to examine what caused the aircraft to go down near Austin.
The victims were identified as Amarillo Pickleball Club players Hayden Dillard, Seren Wilson, Brooke Skypala and Stacy Hedrick, all from Amarillo, Texas, along with pilot Justin Appling, who was also an active pickleball player.
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The aircraft crashed in Wimberley, a city about 40 miles southwest of Austin on May 1. The investigation is currently underway and officials have not yet determined the cause of the crash.
The tragedy has left the wider pickleball community in mourning, with friends and fellow competitors remembering the victims as skilled players whose friendships extended far beyond the court.
Wilson, the youngest among those killed, had previously established herself as a promising tennis player. According to the tennis booster club at Amarillo High School, where she graduated from, Wilson won the University Interscholastic League team tennis state championship in 2022.
Sarah Lister, another pickleball player who got to know Dillard and Appling through tournaments, described the pair as “genuine people” while speaking to AP. She said Appling had a reputation for keeping everyone entertained, while Dillard was admired for balancing competitive sport with motherhood and business responsibilities.
Lister said Dillard is survived by two daughters, one of whom was preparing to begin college. She added that Dillard and Appling had been long-time mixed doubles partners, while Brooke Skypala regularly teamed up with Dillard in women’s doubles competitions.
“The pickleball world is super, super small, even though it’s huge at the same time,” said Lister. “And when one of us has a tragedy like this, it’s like it’s the whole community that gets hit.”
Leroy Clifford, another Amarillo Pickleball Club member who traveled separately to the same tournament, said the group had grown close through years of competing together at Pro Pickleball Association-sanctioned events across the country, including in Dallas and Las Vegas.
“One thing I can say about this group is this group, you wanted to be around this group. They were fun, carefree, not uptight, just relaxed, loved to joke with each other, make fun of each other,” Clifford said, per The Associated Press. “You couldn’t ask for better friends, honestly.”
Clifford said he spent the most time playing alongside Skypala, whom he remembered as naturally athletic and quick with humor.
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“She was very witty, super sweet and very funny,” Clifford said.
Dan Dyer, president of the Amarillo Pickleball Club, said he had played numerous matches with four of the five victims and had seen them consistently excel in tournaments.
“I’ve handed them medals. They were excellent players. They were out to win some games,” Dyer said. “Every weekend there are dozens of tournaments. Some people get the bug; others don’t. But once they do, they’ll travel for a tournament.”
