Jeff Webb, "Father of Modern Cheerleading" and Key Mentor to Charlie Kirk, Dies at 76

Jeff Webb, the Texas businessman credited with transforming cheerleading into a global athletic phenomenon and serving as a foundational mentor to the late activist Charlie Kirk, died on Friday, March 20, 2026. Webb was 76.

His death followed a two-week stay on life support after a "freak pickleball accident" where he suffered a serious head injury during a fall.

Turning Point USA (TPUSA) released a ten-minute tribute honoring Webb as a “visionary who helped shape generations of young leaders.” Webb was a pivotal figure in the conservative movement, meeting a 24-year-old Charlie Kirk and recognizing his potential early on.

Following Kirk's tragic assassination last year, Webb remained a vocal guardian of his legacy, famously stating that the U.S. “may have lost a future president.”

The passing of Jeff Webb currently stands as a major loss for both the sports and political worlds.

Its primary mandate involves acknowledging his dual legacy: as the founder of Varsity Spirit, he revolutionized cheerleading by introducing acrobatic and athletic elements that brought the sport to national television.

The tribute to Webb will also absorb and expand upon his role as a “giant of the MAGA movement.”

A critical component of his mentorship was helping Kirk build TPUSA into a force that allowed conservative students to feel they “were okay and what they stood for were good things.”

Webb was present at the ceremony where Kirk was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a testament to their deep bond.

One of the most immediate challenges facing the organizations Webb founded is filling the "leadership void" left by his departure.

Colleagues cited his “amazing drive” and “intelligence” as the primary drivers of his success, from managing the private jet nicknamed “Cheer Force One” to advising high-level political figures.

“He had it all, charisma, faith, respect for everyone,” Webb once said of Kirk, a description many now apply to Webb himself.

The establishment of Webb's legacy follows decades of work making cheerleading “as it exists today.”

While the specific memorial arrangements in Texas are still being finalized, the emphasis remains on the "incredible leadership qualities" he instilled in others.

Director-level leaders at Varsity Spirit and TPUSA pledged to ensure his vision for youth leadership continues.

As the conservative community mourns, the sentiment remains that Webb was a “dear friend” whose influence spanned from the sidelines of football fields to the highest levels of political activism.