Charlie Kirk’s ‘Mentor’ Passes Away After Freak Accident

Jeff Webb, widely credited as the architect of modern competitive cheerleading, has died after a freak fall while playing pickleball, according to a report. He was 76.

Varsity Spirit, the powerhouse cheer organization Webb founded, confirmed his death in a tribute posted to Instagram.

“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, president of Varsity Spirit, said in an email obtained by Cheer Daily that Webb suffered a severe head injury in the fall.

Webb, who also had ties to conservative politics, was described as a “mentor” to Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. After Kirk’s assassination, Webb publicly reflected on his influence.

“We may have lost a future president. Charlie Kirk had it all—charisma, faith, respect for everyone… Now, in his absence, tens of thousands of new chapters are rising. His legacy is just beginning,” Webb told Real America’s Voice shortly after the shooting. Webb later attended a White House ceremony where Kirk was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

According to the email, Webb was hospitalized with severe head trauma following the accident. His family ultimately made the decision to remove him from life support, Cheer Daily reported.

A spokesperson for Varsity Brands, another company Webb founded, said the organization was “saddened” by his passing.

Jeff Webb (Gage Skidmore/Wiki Commons)

“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.

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“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’s roots in cheerleading stretched back decades. He served as a yell leader at the University of Oklahoma and got his start in the sport while still in high school.

During college, Webb worked with the National Cheerleaders Association before turning it into a full-time career, shelving plans for law school.

He later launched the Universal Cheerleaders Association in 1974, a program that would eventually become part of the Varsity Spirit empire he built into a national force.

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