Charlie Kirk’s ‘mentor’ and father of modern cheerleading dies after falling while playing pickleball: report

The man considered to be the father of competitive, modern cheerleading died after falling while playing pickleball, according to a report.

Jeff Webb’s death was confirmed in an Instagram post by Varsity Spirit, the largest cheer organization in the United States, which he founded. He was 76 years old.

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“Join us in honoring the life and legacy of Jeff Webb, founder of Varsity Spirit and modern cheerleading,” the tribute read. “His impact has built a community that will continue to inspire generations to come.”

Bill Seely, the president of Varsity Spirit, confirmed in an email, obtained by Cheer Daily, that Webb had sustained a severe head injury after his fall.

Webb was also a conservative political activist and was considered a “mentor” to Charlie Kirk. Following Kirk’s assassination, Webb spoke multiple times about the impact of Turning Point USA’s founder.

According to the email, Webb was hospitalized with severe head trauma after the accident. His family eventually decided to remove him from life support, Cheer Daily reported.

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A spokesperson for Varsity Brands, a sportswear company he founded, told The Independent that the company was “saddened” by Webb’s death.

“Jeff played a pivotal role in shaping cheerleading as it exists today and in building a community that has impacted generations of athletes, coaches, and teams,” the spokesperson said.

“In recent years, his contributions helped grow the sport both in the United States and globally, including his work with the International Cheer Union, which achieved full recognition by the International Olympic Committee in 2021,” the spokesperson continued.

“We extend our condolences to Jeff’s family and loved ones, and to the many across the spirit community who were influenced by his work,” they concluded.

Webb was a former yell leader for the University of Oklahoma’s cheer squad.

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While at college, he worked for the National Cheerleaders Association before later accepting a full-time role at the organisation, forgoing law school in the process.

Webb went on to found the Universal Cheerleaders Association in 1974, which was eventually included under the Varsity Spirit umbrella.

According to The New York Times, Webb was instrumental in bringing cheerleading competitions to television screens across the United States. He also pushed for cheer routines to feature more acrobatic and athletic activities.

As president of the International Cheer Union, Webb played a key role in making cheerleading a global sport, with events broadcast on ESPN.

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Despite cheerleading being fully recognised by the IOC in 2021, the sport did not make the official list of new sports being featured at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

In addition to his work with cheerleading, Webb served as the co-publisher and senior news editor of right-wing news site Human Events and also bought another right-wing site, The Post Millennial, in 2022. He sold both titles to Trump-loyalist John Solomon’s Just the News in 2025.

“Jeff was a brilliant businessman and entrepreneur and a joyful warrior who made everyone around him better. He had a passion for ensuring America’s next generations could carry on the torch of liberty, whether through the creation of the Varsity franchise or through his friendship with Charlie Kirk. He will be sorely missed,” Solomon said in a statement.