The search for details surrounding the death of Jeff Webb continues.
After news broke that one of Charlie Kirk’s mentors had died following a freak pickleball accident, fans and followers are curious to learn more about Webb’s sudden passing.
“Unfortunate news to share. The President of the International Cheer Union, Jeff Webb, has passed away following complications after an accident,” the International Cheer Union said in a statement via Facebook on March 19. “The founder of modern cheerleading, he spent his life building the sport he loved and advocating for young people everywhere. More information to follow in the coming days. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and the entire global cheer community.”
The International Cheer Union did not provide further details on how Webb died, and a family representative declined to discuss the accident.
“At this time, the family is not discussing the specifics of his passing,” family spokesperson Stephen Francy said in a statement to NBC News on March 24. “I can confirm Jeff passed away this past Thursday and was laid to rest in a private burial ceremony for family on Sunday.”
Keep reading to learn more about Webb and the pickleball accident that left him with a traumatic head injury.
Who Is Jeff Webb?
Jeff Webb was the founder of Varsity Spirit and was considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the sport of cheerleading and dance.
“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,” a Varsity Brands spokesperson said in a statement to Cheer Daily. “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.”
Webb himself was a former University of Oklahoma yell leader and helped launch Universal Cheerleaders Association in 1974.
What Is Jeff Webb’s Connection to Charlie Kirk?
Jeff Webb was considered one of Charlie Kirk’s mentors and once predicted the Turning Point USA leader could be a “future president.”
“When I first met Charlie, he was 24, before he was the Charlie Kirk,” Webb told Real America’s Voice in September 2025. “He was already out there. He had Turning Point going. He was starting conferences. He was really still developing the strategy. I met him through a friend at dinner in Atlanta, and like so many people will say about him, we just hit it off. He had everything. He had an incredible amount of charisma. He had a great sense of humor. He was fun to be around.”
Webb had the opportunity to stand with Kirk’s family at the White House when the late political commentator was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in October 2025.
“A visionary who helped shape generations of young leaders and believed deeply in the power of community and country,” Turning Point USA said of Webb. “A dear friend to Turning Point USA and Charlie. He will be greatly missed.”
How Did Jeff Webb Die?
In an email sent to the Varsity Spirit community and obtained by Cheer Daily, company president Bill Seely said Jeff Webb suffered a fall while playing pickleball two weeks before his death.
After sustaining a severe head injury, Webb was hospitalized at an undisclosed hospital. His family later made the decision to remove him from life support.
His official cause of death has yet to be revealed.
How Is Jeff Webb Being Remembered?
Days after Jeff Webb’s death was confirmed, his children, Jeffrey and Caroline Webb, released a tribute to their dad.
“He taught us by example that a life well lived contains balance, that seriousness and silliness are not in fact opposites, that focus and discipline do not and should not preclude care and kindness,” the joint statement read via NBC News. “He was life, personified. He was a singular figure and an extraordinary father; we miss him dearly, and we will love and honor him forever.”
