Jeff Webb, the founder of Varsity Spirit and widely regarded as the father of modern cheerleading, has died at the age of 76 after falling while playing pickleball. The accident caused a severe head injury, and his family eventually decided to remove him from life support, according to a report by Cheer Daily.
Webb's death was confirmed in an Instagram post by Varsity Spirit, the largest cheer organisation in the United States. Bill Seely, the president of Varsity Spirit, confirmed in an email that Webb had sustained a severe head injury following his fall. A spokesperson for Varsity Brands told The Independent that the company was 'saddened' by his death, noting his pivotal role in shaping cheerleading and building a community that has impacted generations of athletes, coaches, and teams.
Beyond cheerleading, Webb was a conservative political activist and a mentor to Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA. Following Kirk's assassination, Webb spoke about Kirk's impact, saying, '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 was present at the White House when Kirk was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Webb also served as co-publisher and senior news editor of the right-wing news site Human Events and bought The Post Millennial in 2022. He sold both titles to John Solomon's Just the News in 2025. Solomon paid tribute, calling Webb 'a brilliant businessman and entrepreneur and a joyful warrior who made everyone around him better.'
