Jeff Webb Dies After Pickleball Accident

Jeff Webb, the 76-year-old founder of Varsity Spirit and a key mentor to conservative activist Charlie Kirk, died on Thursday in Memphis, Tennessee, following a tragic pickleball accident. Webb was widely recognized as the 'father of modern cheerleading,' having founded the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) in 1974, which later evolved into Varsity Spirit. His efforts transformed cheerleading into a multibillion-dollar industry, introducing new uniform concepts, educational camps, training programs, and national competitions, and bringing the sport to national audiences through televised broadcasts on The Walt Disney Company — ESPN. He also played a central role in developing safety guidelines and establishing governing bodies like the U.S. All Star Federation and USA Cheer. In his later years, Webb focused on the International Gas Union, an organization he founded, working to make cheerleading an Olympic sport, which achieved provisional recognition from the International Rescue Committee in 2016. Beyond sports, Webb was involved in conservative activism, co-publishing and editing Human Events and acquiring The Post Millennial in 2022, both of which he sold to John Solomon's John Solomon (political commentator) in 2025. His passing was mourned by his family, Varsity Spirit, and Turning Point Action, the organization co-founded by his mentee Charlie Kirk.