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 35 teams competing in 15 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.

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 vs. Canterbury field hockey Nov. 11, 2023 Canterbury Day
Field Hockey Team Earns Third Consecutive Playoff Bid

Varsity Field Hockey is advancing to the NEPSAC Class C Championships for the third consecutive year. As the #4 seed, Gunn will face off against #5 Canterbury at home on Wednesday, November 15, at 2:15 p.m. The quarterfinal game will reprise last Saturday’s highly competitive Canterbury Day matchup, when the Highlanders beat the Saints 2-1 on their home turf. Click here to watch the live stream from Barnes Field.
 

Canterbury Day game day graphic 2023
Highlanders Take on Saints at Canterbury Day

Next week marks the return of a great Gunn tradition — Canterbury Day! 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. School spirit is at an all-time high as the Highlanders take on the Saints and seek to accumulate points toward the Gunn-Canterbury Cup.
 

HeadoftheCharles2023TeamPhoto
Girls Rowing Places in Top 50 Percent at 2023 Head of the Charles Regatta

The Frederick Gunn School Girls First Boat placed 36 out of 90 boats in the Women’s Youth Fours at the Head of the Charles Regatta on October 22, 2023. Olivia Kurtz ’25 in stroke seat, Gigi Boucher ’25 in three, Isla Beckstrom ’26 in two, and Emma Eschweiler ’24 in bow were coxed by Zane Leonard ’25.
 

Play4theCure 2023 group photo
Highlanders Have Fun and Support a Good Cause at Play4TheCure

Highlanders demonstrated their school spirit while competing fiercely, having fun, and raising funds for a good cause at the annual Play4theCure field hockey game on October 6. The event, which featured two, half-field mini games under the lights on Barnes Field, as well as a bake sale and dress down day, raised $2,254 for the National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR), exceeding this year’s goal and last year’s total.
 

Boys Varsity Lacrosse Team with Will Marich '23
Spring Signing Ceremony Celebrates 2023 College Commitments

On May 21, the College Counseling Office hosted a signing ceremony to celebrate the accomplishments of nine standout student-athletes, who have commitments to study and play sports at colleges and universities in the fall. The students represented six different varsity teams in three sports at Gunn and were supported by their families, coaches, and peers, who wished them continued success in their academic and athletic endeavors.
 

2023 Boys Ice Hockey Semifinal Win Over Holderness School
Two Teams Advance to New England Championship Finals

Two teams will represent The Frederick Gunn School in the 2023 NEPSAC Championship Finals on Sunday, March 5. Boys Varsity Basketball and Boys Varsity Ice Hockey both advanced to their respective tournament finals after winning the semifinals on Saturday.