Soupany Sayavong Parr
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Soupany Sayavong Parr, known during her youth as Soupany "Pok" Sayavong, is a Lao American content creator and former high school lacrosse player. In 1991, while a 15-year-old freshman at Penn Yan Academy in Penn Yan, New York, Sayavong challenged the school's refusal to allow her to play on its boys' lacrosse team when the school did not offer a girls' lacrosse program.[1][2] A 2025 Democrat and Chronicle retrospective on the early history of Section V girls' lacrosse reported that Sayavong was ultimately allowed to play for Penn Yan's boys' team after threatening legal action alleging sex discrimination.[3]
Early life
Parr was born in Vientiane, Laos. She immigrated to the United States with her family as a young child and grew up in Upstate New York.[4]
Lacrosse
In the spring of 1991, Sayavong, then known as Soupany "Pok" Sayavong, sought permission to play lacrosse at Penn Yan Academy because the school did not offer a girls' lacrosse team.[2]
On April 10, 1991, The Chronicle-Express reported that the Penn Yan school board had voted 6–2 to uphold a decision denying Sayavong permission to play on the boys' junior varsity lacrosse team. Sayavong said she considered the decision discriminatory and planned to appeal it.[1]
The Democrat and Chronicle reported five days later that Sayavong continued to challenge the school's decision. The newspaper reported that Catherine Weiss, an attorney with the New York Civil Liberties Union, was working on Sayavong's case and disputed the school's liability argument. Penn Yan junior varsity coach Harry Queener Jr. supported giving her an opportunity to play, while Principal Thomas Rakovan assisted Sayavong in obtaining information concerning an appeal.[2]
In a 2025 retrospective examining the early history of girls' lacrosse in Section V, the Democrat and Chronicle described girls playing on boys' high school teams as rare before girls' programs became established in the region. The article identified Sayavong as one of those rare examples and reported that, after threatening legal action alleging sex discrimination in 1991, she was allowed to play for Penn Yan's boys' team.[3]
The same retrospective reported that Canandaigua became Section V's first varsity girls' lacrosse team in 1993, two years after Sayavong's challenge at Penn Yan.[3]
Later work
Parr later became a digital content creator whose work has included Lao food, culture and family traditions. She was featured in The Lao Project, a narrative portrait project about Lao Americans, where she discussed her family's immigration experience and the influence of her mother on her interest in traditional Lao cooking.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hearton, Russ (April 10, 1991). "School board says 'no' to request". The Chronicle-Express. Penn Yan, New York. p. 1.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Morrell, Alan (April 15, 1991). "Student fights for chance to play on boys' lacrosse team". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. p. 9.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ritzel, Justin (March 18, 2025). "From a humble start 30 years ago, girls lacrosse has become a Section V success story". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Luangaphay, Vekonda. "Soupany". The Lao Project. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
Early life
Parr was born in Vientiane, Laos. She immigrated to the United States with her family as a young child and grew up in Upstate New York.[1]
Lacrosse
In the spring of 1991, Sayavong, then known as Soupany "Pok" Sayavong, sought permission to play lacrosse at Penn Yan Academy because the school did not offer a girls' lacrosse team.[2]
School officials initially denied her request, citing concerns about liability and the physical nature of boys' lacrosse. Sayavong said she intended to challenge the decision as sex discrimination.[2]
The dispute received coverage in the Democrat and Chronicle. The newspaper reported that Catherine Weiss, an attorney with the New York Civil Liberties Union, was working on Sayavong's case and disputed the school's liability argument. Penn Yan junior varsity coach Harry Queener Jr. supported giving her an opportunity to play. Principal Thomas Rakovan helped Sayavong obtain forms from the New York State Department of Education and contacted the Legal Aid Society in Geneva on her behalf.[2]
In a 2025 retrospective examining the early history of girls' lacrosse in Section V, the Democrat and Chronicle described girls playing on boys' teams as rare before girls' high school programs became established in the region. The article identified Sayavong as one of those rare examples and reported that, following her threatened legal action alleging sex discrimination in 1991, she was allowed to play for Penn Yan's boys' team.[3]
The same retrospective reported that Canandaigua became Section V's first varsity girls' lacrosse team in 1993, two years after Sayavong's challenge at Penn Yan.[3]
Later work
Parr later became a digital content creator whose work has included Lao food, culture and family traditions. She was featured in The Lao Project, a narrative portrait project about Lao Americans, where she discussed her family's immigration experience and the influence of her mother on her interest in traditional Lao cooking.[1]
References
Early life
Parr was born in Vientiane, Laos. She immigrated to the United States with her family as a young child and grew up in Upstate New York.[1]
Lacrosse
In the spring of 1991, Sayavong sought permission to play lacrosse at Penn Yan Academy because the school did not have a girls' lacrosse team. School officials initially denied her request, citing concerns about liability and the physical nature of the sport.[2]
The dispute was reported by Alan Morrell in the Democrat and Chronicle. Sayavong said that she intended to challenge the decision as sex discrimination. The newspaper reported that Catherine Weiss, an attorney with the New York Civil Liberties Union, was working on the matter and disputed the school's liability argument.[2]
Penn Yan junior varsity coach Harry Queener Jr. supported giving Sayavong the opportunity to play. The newspaper also reported that Penn Yan principal Thomas Rakovan helped her obtain forms from the New York State Department of Education and contacted the Legal Aid Society in Geneva on her behalf.[2]
Sayavong subsequently played for Penn Yan's junior varsity lacrosse team. In May 1991, The Chronicle-Express reported that Sayavong and teammate Jon Doan each scored three goals in Penn Yan's 9–4 victory over Canandaigua.[3]
Later work
Parr later became a digital content creator whose work has included Lao food and cultural traditions. She was featured in The Lao Project, a narrative portrait project about Lao Americans, where she discussed her family's immigration experience and the influence of her mother on her interest in traditional Lao cooking.[1]
Early life
Parr was born in Vientiane, Laos. She immigrated to the United States with her family as a young child and grew up in Upstate New York.Luangaphay, Vekonda. "Soupany". The Lao Project. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
Lacrosse
In the spring of 1991, Sayavong sought permission to play lacrosse at Penn Yan Academy because the school did not have a girls’ lacrosse team. School officials initially denied her request, citing concerns about liability and the physical nature of the sport.
The dispute was reported by Alan Morrell in the ‘‘Democrat and Chronicle’’. Sayavong said that she intended to challenge the decision as sex discrimination. The newspaper reported that Catherine Weiss, an attorney with the New York Civil Liberties Union, was working on the matter and disputed the school’s liability argument.
Penn Yan junior varsity coach Harry Queener Jr. supported giving Sayavong the opportunity to play. The newspaper also reported that Penn Yan principal Thomas Rakovan helped her obtain forms from the New York State Department of Education and contacted the Legal Aid Society in Geneva on her behalf.
Sayavong subsequently played for Penn Yan’s junior varsity lacrosse team. In May 1991, ‘‘The Chronicle-Express’’ reported that Sayavong and teammate Jon Doan each scored three goals in Penn Yan’s 9–4 victory over Canandaigua.
Later work
Parr later became a digital content creator whose work has included Lao food and cultural traditions. She was featured in ‘‘The Lao Project’’, a narrative portrait project about Lao Americans, where she discussed her family’s immigration experience and the influence of her mother on her interest in traditional Lao cooking.
References
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