Jeff Webb, the man widely known as the father of modern cheerleading, passed away on March 19, 2026, at the age of 76 after suffering a serious head injury from a fall while playing pickleball in Memphis.
He leaves behind a phenomenal legacy in business and sports, and at the heart of it all was a personal life filled with love, family, and the early chapters he shared with his first wife, CheriR. Ganong.
Cheri grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, in a close-knit family. She was the daughter of James A. Ganong (often called Jim or Jimmy) and Billie Jean Tobias.
Her father was a successful lawyer and judge who earned his degrees from Memphis State and law school. He passed away on April 3, 2022, after a short battle with cancer.
Her mother, Billie, graduated from the University of Memphis and helped create a stable, well-educated home.
Cheri had three siblings, Steve, Denise, and Don. Together, they shared a typical Memphis upbringing, rich in family values and community ties.
From a young age, Cheri showed spirit and leadership. She attended Wooddale High School, where she served as captain of the pom-pom girls for all four years.
That energy carried into college. She went on to graduate from Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis), where she became a proud member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority.
Friends and family remember her as outgoing and dedicated, someone who balanced studies with school spirit.
After college, Cheri worked as a teacher at Ridgeway High School in Memphis.
She later built a career as a personal trainer, helping others stay active and healthy.
Those who know her say she has always been a proud and loving mother.
Jeff And His First Wife Cheri’s Paths Crossed In The Late 1970s
Jeff Webb Wife, Cheri R. Ganong, Was A Member Of The Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority And A Proud Mother Of Two
Their marriage announcement appeared in the local Memphis newspaper in February 1980.
The couple tied the knot on March 8, 1980. At the time, Jeff was already making a name for himself.
He had been president of his Sigma Kappa fraternity, served as a cheerleader captain, and was running Universal Sports Camps, Ltd. The young couple seemed full of promise.
Together, Jeff and Cheri had two children: a son named Jeffery and a daughter named Caroline.
Cheri poured her heart into motherhood, raising the kids while Jeff poured everything into building his cheerleading empire.
He started working full-time with Lawrence Herkimer’s National Cheerleaders Association in 1971 after his time at the University of Oklahoma, where he had been a yell leader.
Just three years later, in 1974, he founded the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA). That move changed everything.
Jeff introduced standardized cheer camps, national competitions, branded uniforms, and a whole new competitive spirit.
What began as a simple sideline activity grew into Varsity Spirit, a multibillion-dollar industry that now touches millions of athletes worldwide.
Jeff often said he never dreamed cheer would become an official sport, but he pushed hard for its growth, including efforts to gain Olympic recognition.
He stepped down from Varsity in December 2020 and later took on roles in conservative media, serving as co-publisher and senior news editor of Human Events.
He also became a mentor to young leaders, including the late Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA.
Over time, Jeff and Cheri’s marriage came to an end.
According to her social media, Cheri is now married to Johnny Robinson, whereas Jeff, for his part, is married to Gina Webb.
Gina Webb stood beside him through five decades of that journey, is now the head of a family navigating one of the most public legacies in American sports history.
The couple became grandparents, and Jeff is survived by Gina, his children Jeffery and Caroline, and other family members.
Cheri has kept a relatively low profile in recent years, focusing on her life as a personal trainer and proud mom.
Those close to the family describe her as warm, strong, and someone who values education, fitness, and the simple joys of raising kids.
Her days as a pom-pom captain and sorority sister at Memphis State clearly shaped her positive outlook.
On the other hand, Jeff Webb’s influence on cheerleading is impossible to overstate. He turned it into a global phenomenon.
But behind the business headlines was a personal story that included his time with Cheri R. Ganong.
She was there during the early, exciting years when everything was just beginning.
As tributes pour in for Jeff, it’s worth remembering the full picture as the entrepreneur, the visionary, the father, and the woman who shared part of that journey as his wife and the mother of his two children.
Jeff Webb’s ex-wife, Cheri, played an important role in his personal life, even as his professional world expanded in ways few could have imagined back in 1980.
Their shared history remains part of the bigger story of a man who changed cheerleading forever.
