Jeff Webb, a man seen as a “mentor” to the late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, died Thursday at the age of 76 from a pickleball accident.
Varsity Spirit, the cheerleading organization founded by Webb, announced that Webb suffered from severe head trauma after falling during a pickleball game two weeks before his death. His family eventually decided to take him off life support.
Webb was a conservative political activist and close confidant to Kirk, who died from a gunshot wound to the neck on Sept. 10, 2025. He frequently spoke about Kirk’s impact following the assassination, and once said the nation lost a potential future president.
“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 in September.
Webb also attended the ceremony where President Donald Trump posthumously awarded Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Webb founded Varsity Spirit in 1974 and was instrumental in shaping modern-day cheerleading competitions. A spokesperson for Varsity Brands said the organization was “saddened” by Webb’s passing in a statement.
“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 organization said. “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.”
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