Athletics

Frederick Gunn was a champion of the arts, athletics and the natural world. He established the school’s first athletic teams and encouraged his students to participate in sports based on his conviction that they “strengthened not merely muscle and nerve, but character as well.” 

Today, The Frederick Gunn School’s athletic and co-curricular programs continue to be guided by Mr. Gunn’s philosophy. With 36 teams competing in 16 sports, you also have the chance to take your skills to a new level or try something completely new.

  • Students are required to participate in a co-curricular activity every term.

  • Beyond this, students are required to participate in a minimum of two (2) terms of an interscholastic athletic team in their first year, and a minimum of one (1) term in each successive year.

  • Students who have a demonstrated interest outside of interscholastic athletics have the opportunity to create an alternate route to the above policy. Specifically, students may propose to replace one term of interscholastic athletics in their first year with a non-athletic program or project (see Music, Theatre, Visual Arts).

  • All returning students must participate in at least one interscholastic sport.

  • Crew
  • Volleyball (girls)
  • Cross Country Running
  • Soccer
  • Field Hockey (Girls)
  • American Football (Boys)

Athletics at Gunn had a direct impact on who I am today. The two years I spent [at school] taught me crucial skills like discipline, leadership, and respect, which allowed me to physically and emotionally mature.  Because of what FGS taught me between academics and sports, I learned how to be an effective leader, but also how to be the best teammate I can be. Being surrounded by very competitive but motivated coaches and teammates also pushed me to reach academic and athletic goals that didn’t seem attainable to me before I came to FGS.

The skills that I learned didn’t just help me during my time at Gunn, but they have fostered an attitude that was necessary when I transitioned into my first year of playing college [athletics]. Thanks to [my coaches] and my teammates throughout my time at Gunn, I was more than prepared to step into college.

Morgan Wells '17

Athletics News

Gunn Field Hockey players celebrate after scoring a goal on Canterbury Day at home
Field Hockey Earns Playoff Bid for Fourth Consecutive Year

Having ended their regular season with back-to-back wins against Choate Rosemary Hall (4-1) and Canterbury School (2-0), Gunn Field Hockey will play Pingree School in the NEPSAC Class C Championship Quarterfinal today at 2 p.m. at Loomis Chaffee School. This is the fourth consecutive year the Highlanders have earned a playoff bid. Gunn earned the #3 seed and Pingree is the #6 seed in the Class C Championship bracket. The winner will advance to the NEPSAC Semifinals on Saturday, November 16.

Watch Live Stream
 

2023 Field Hockey_Canterbury Day
Highlanders Take on the Saints at Home November 9

Each year, athletic teams from The Frederick Gunn School and Canterbury School come together in the spirit of competition, sportsmanship, and camaraderie during the final week of the fall athletic season. This year, Gunn will host the Saints at home on Saturday, November 9, for six games that will be played on Barnes Field, Underhill Memorial Field, South Street Fields, and in the Upper Gym of the Ogden D. Miller Memorial Athletic Center.
 

Head of the Charles 2024_Girls Rowing on the water in front of CBC
Gunn Earns Guaranteed Entry for Second Consecutive Year at Head of the Charles

The Girls First Boat raced in near perfect conditions at the 2024 Head of the Charles, placing in the top 50 percent in the Women’s Youth Fours event on October 20. Coxed by Zane Leonard ’25 with Olivia Kurtz ’25 in stroke seat, Catherine Kleiner ’25 in three, Grace Harlow ’25 in two, and Isla Beckstrom ’26 in bow, Gunn finished 34th out of 90 boats, earning the Highlanders a return to the starting line at DeWolfe Boathouse for the 2025 regatta.
 

Class of 1959 with Steve Bent Alumni Weekend June 2024
Remembering Trustee Emeritus Steve Bent ’59

The Gunn community is saddened by the news that Trustee Emeritus Steve Bent ’59, who served on the Board of Trustees for nearly 20 years and was a loyal friend and supporter of the school, died in a tragic accident on July 11. 
 

The Marich Family at Baccalaureate in 2024
At Baccalaureate, Highlanders Encouraged to Work Hard, Be Curious, Take Risks, and Come Back Home

On May 21, the Gunn community gathered at the First Congregational Church of Washington for Baccalaureate, a solemn service that began a weeklong celebration of and collective reflection on the Class of 2024. Athletic Director Mike Marich P’23 ’24 delivered this year’s Baccalaureate Address and helped to compose the service, selecting readings from Wallace Stegner’s 1987 novel, Crossing to Safety, and the Bible, including The Beatitudes and Salt and Light from the Book of Matthew, as well as the poem, “Dreams” by Langston Hughes. 
 

Athletic Awards large group photo 2024
Outstanding Performances Celebrated at Athletic Banquet

Outstanding performances in the Gunn Athletics program during the 2023-24 school year were celebrated along with this year’s team captains and three-sport athletes at the annual Athletic Banquet, held May 22, 2024 in the Thomas S. Perakos Arts and Community Center. Among this year’s highlights: Boys Varsity Lacrosse won the Colonial Cup Tournament Final on May 18, beating Pomfret 13-4 at home, and scoring the final point to win the Gunn-Canterbury Cup. 
 

Girls Varsity Rowing
64th Annual Founders Day Regatta set for May 5 at Lake Waramaug

The Frederick Gunn School will host the 64th annual Founders Day Regatta at Lake Waramaug on Sunday, May 5, 2024. Morning heats will begin at 9 a.m., with the last morning race at 11:15 a.m. Racing will resume at 12:15 p.m. following lunch, and will conclude by 2 p.m. Alumni, current students, families, faculty, and friends are welcome to cheer on Gunn Rowing at the finish line, located at Lake Waramaug State Park in Kent. 
 

Boys Varsity Hockey 2024 NEPSAC Quarterfinal win
Boys Varsity Hockey Advances to NEPSAC Semifinal on March 2

Gunn will face #1 seed The Rivers School in the 2024 NEPSAC Boys Ice Hockey Tournament Semifinals this Saturday, March 2, at 2 p.m. at The Rivers School in Weston, Massachusetts.

To catch the Highlanders in action, view the Live Stream here.

The winners of Saturday's semifinal matchups will advance to the New England Championship Finals, which will be played on Sunday, March 3, at noon at Harvard University.