She calls the shots: Monica Webb is the world's sixth-ranked woman billiard player. She's also the first the pro tour to come out. What makes her so bold?

Stopping by The Advocate's offices en route to her next match, Monica Webb brings to mind those old-time sports heroes that kids with cowlicks once looked up to. If she's rattled about giving the first coming-out interview in the history of the Women's Professional Billiard Association, she's not letting it show. She's all fresh good looks and relaxed self-confidence--a woman you'd be a fool to bet against.

Webb discovered her knack for winning when she picked up a cue at age 8, in her father's poolroom just outside Atlanta. Before long, she was outplaying her dad and everybody else in sight.

Far from being a high school outcast, she was popular. Her winning personality helped smooth her teenage coming out too. Shaken at first, her parents lost little time in supporting their gay child.

Even when Webb quit playing billiards after high school--derailed by an auto accident and a long stretch of partying--her luck resurfaced in the form of third-ranked Swedish pro Helena Thornfeldt. Realizing that Webb had dropped out of sight in amateur competitions, Thornfeldt sought her out and took over her training. "She raised my game from probably the best amateur woman out there to one of the best players in the world," Webb says.

At age 26, Webb has her mojo firmly back in place. Still based in Atlanta, she's spent four years on the pro tour, playing for big crowds and big purses. She's rated sixth among women in the world, but she's not waiting until she hits number 1 to come out. "I want people to know that the times are changing," she says. "And for those that haven't, get with it!"

How did you get introduced to billiards so young?

I've always been competitive. And me and my brother--he's six years older than me--we were always like best friends growing up. When my dad bought him the cue and started showing him how to play, it kind of made me mad. And it still goes on today, you know? Who's the dad gonna take to the pool room to play a game of pool--is it gonna be his daughter or is it gonna be his son? It's gonna be his son. I think that's the only reason that women aren't at the exact same level as, if not better than, men in the game of pool. There's no reason whatsoever why women can't be on the same level. Every day we're [getting closer]. Once I started playing, though, my dad showed an interest. He was like, Wow.

And you stood out from the start.

I was gambling--playing pool for money--by the time I was 10. When I was age 12, I was actually betting kind of high; my dad was staking me against the guys. I mean, I'd play $100 sets. Five dollars a game or $10 a game. It was pretty ... it definitely tests your nerves. [ Chuckles]

Did it make grown men angry to lose to a child?

No, they think it's hilarious. At the same time, it kills them to be losing to this little girl. My mom and dad used to crack up. Back behind the counter in the poolroom, I would be counting the money that I won--there'd be all kinds of ones and fives and tens. And if there was a twenty in there, my dad would just crack up and laugh and say, "Who'd you win the twenty off of?" [Laughs]

It must have been a lot of fun.

Yeah. But I never hustled, you know? I never said, "Oh, I'm no good," and then got up there and ran the table out. I just said, "Challenge me."

When did you know that you had feelings for other girls?

When did I recognize them? Probably middle school.

Was there somebody in particular?

Yeah. I fell in love with my best friend. At least I felt it was. She said, "You know, that's not me." I don't know, it's just a very weird situation between me and her, but I think we remained very close, just like sisters.

So your relationship went past that? You accepted that?

We went past it, yeah. And as we both started high school, we just matured and were able to deal with it and look past it.

It seems like you've had a lot of acceptance.

In my high school, Lithia Springs High School, it was unbelievable. There was a girl before me that came out of the closet. [Then] I came out. We actually formed a group that met before school to talk about problems or whatever. We had to call it a study group, but the teacher knew exactly what it was. After we formed that, [about] eight people in my high school alone came out in, like, one week. And they were very popular too. Nobody lost any friends.

That's not what we're used to hearing about the South. We're used to hearing about Cobb County, Ga., where they keep trying to disband the "gay study organizations."

Well, we're right beside Cobb County.

So what's the difference?

I don't know. I think all of that stuff that happened in Cobb County, not only did it fuel the flame for our rights, but it also fueled the flame [of] people that are against it too. It started a little war there, and we never got into that.

How was it coming out to your family?

I didn't. A friend of mine's dad found some letters that we'd been writing and took them to my parents, and that outed me. But my parents were furious in the beginning. They're Southern people, you know. They weren't raised like that; they were raised just the traditional Southern Baptist way. And they were furious. But I told them, "This is me; I'm not gonna lie about it. This is just the way it is. I'm the same daughter that you've always loved and known, and nothing has changed." It took about two weeks of some pretty bad yelling and screaming between my mom and I, and then my family went to PFLAG and got educated.

Really.

Ever since then everything has been great. My family is very open-minded and laid-back people, but when it came to gay or something like that, they weren't. It's something they were very unfamiliar with. When they weren't ignorant on the issue anymore, they actually--my dad liked it. [Laughs]

Why?

He felt like he didn't have to worry about me anymore, running off with some guy.

Do they know that you're here talking to us right now?

They're so happy about it. They're excited. Real excited.

Has anybody ever criticized you by saying, "Billiards is a masculine game, so maybe that turned you gay?"

No. I don't think I've ever heard anything like that.

We know that a number of lesbian athletes--in the WNBA, in the LPGA--feel it's too risky to come out. What's made it easier for you?

I just don't care. You know? I'm not going to live my life hiding anything. I don't think it's a big deal.

Do you think it's easier for you maybe because there's not yet the money on the pro billiards tour that there is in golf or in tennis?

Well, the number 1 player makes about a half a million, $600,000 a year if they do good. [But] I think maybe it's the exact opposite--we make it harder for someone to come out in a sport that doesn't make as much money. Because you're risking so much. If Tiger Woods didn't have Nike behind him, do you think he'd still be a millionaire? Yeah, he would. If I don't have someone behind me, I have to absolutely perform at my peak. It's up to me whether I make a living doing what I love, playing pool. I'm not endorsing someone's product or anything like that.

Are many women's billiards fans gay?

There's a lot of gay following in pool, men and women. But pool is everywhere. It's everybody's game.

What's the biggest venue you play?

Gosh, I'd say Vegas. There's thousands of people there.

You play nine ball, not eight ball.

It's a faster game. It has more explosive and offensive shots, so it's better for TV. [WPBA tour matches are televised on ESPN.]

Do the women players on the tour face that old stereotype that they're not as tough as the men?

I think women can be way more competitive than men. When you get them all in one room, it can be extreme. No limits whatsoever, on and off the pool table. We're real good friends; everybody's got each other's back. But when it comes to winning, it's like no holds barred with these ladies. [Laughs] They're animals!

Why did you make the decision to come out now?

I just figured, You know what? It's for a good cause. If I lose any friends over this, they weren't my friends anyway. I think if anything, I'll gain friends from it. I think it's gonna affect my life in a positive way.

Why do you think you'll gain friends?

When I first came out--not having anything to do with pool, just as an individual--I had way more people coming up to me, [saying] "I had no idea; you should have told me." I think the world is changing. That's history. Everybody should just come out. Really, they should!