"I was the only Asian when I came to the WPBA tour," Lee shares. "I felt like it
made me very special. It made me more recognizable. Everyone else was blonde,
medium height, medium hair, you know, and here was this striking, long,
black-haired Asian woman."
Now Lee notes female players from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, mainland China and the
Philippines on international tournaments. On the U.S. pro tour, Lee counts
about 100 APA women competing.
Regardless of the growing number of Asian women in the field, Lee stands out in
recognition and accomplishments. Recently, a cover story in the Asian male
magazine SAM, featured Lee as the "Sexiest Pool Player in the World."
"That was cool," Lee says with a hearty laugh. "Of course it's nice. We're now
at a point where women can experience and celebrate their sexuality. Years ago,
for a woman to be respected in a sport, she had to be chewing tobacco."
"We're all attracted to attractive people," Lee acknowledges. "It's not just
what you look like, it's how you carry yourself. When you see someone who's
good at something, that's attractive."
Lee feels the changing perception of women in sports reflects society's
changing views toward women in general, especially within Asian communities.
"I see [the differences] way more these days, and not just with Asian
Americans," she says. "I see it a lot when I'm traveling around the world.
There are more women taking larger roles."
"There still is that pressure, not just from how we're raised," Lee confesses.
"Even with me, I'm out traveling all the time, but if I come home and the house
is a mess, I still feel like it reflects on me, as a woman." Men have it
easier, she says, because of different societal expectations.
"As long as a guy brings home the bacon, he can get away with a lot," Lee says.
"If a woman brings home the bacon, it's still 'What are we going to eat?'
'What's going on with the house?' 'Why didn't you take the kids to whatever?'
It's a whole lot of other things we have to balance for ourselves, for our own
peace of mind.
"I still love to give my husband massages. I still love to cook. I still love
to be his wife," she explains. "I also want to feel like he respects the fact
that I have my own independence. I'm not someone who just sits and waits for
him to come home. I think that's important, and I'm really grateful that I have
that support."
With husband George Breedlove - to whom she has been married nine years after
meeting on the pro billiards circuit - Lee has an 11-month old daughter,
Cheyenne. "She's just the joy of my life," Lee says. "I want to be able to be a
quality mom to her while still being number one in the world, so that's my
focus."
Though Lee has slipped to No. 3 in the WPBA from her long-time No. 1 ranking,
she is still among the top female players in the world.
How does Lee manage to take care of her husband and an infant while competing
in events such as the AmWay Cup Invitational Tournament, held this past May in
Taipei, Taiwan?
"Prioritizing and setting boundaries for how you use your time," Lee reveals.
"I make sure I make time every day to play pool, work in the office and spend
time with my husband and daughter. As long as I set time aside, that will
happen every day."
That is only one of the lessons Lee has learned. From her rise to the top and
the battle to stay there, she has learned another "truth" she says anyone
pursuing a dream should remember.
"People are going to knock you down. Lessons are going to hurt," Lee advises.
"Know that everybody falls. The champions get back up."
Asian Week
