Boys Varsity Rowing - The Frederick Gunn School

Team Overview

The Frederick Gunn School rows coxed fours out of the Beebe Boathouse on Lake Waramaug, approximately 10 minutes from campus. In the fall, we compete against high schools, clubs, and colleges at the Riverfront Regatta, the Head of the Housatonic, the Head of the Charles as well as the Frostbite and Braxton regattas in Philadelphia. Our spring season includes dual meets and cup races with other NEIRA schools such as Choate, Taft, South Kent, Deerfield, St. Mark’s, Nobles and Berkshire. We host the annual Founders Day Regatta on our home course in early May and compete at the NEIRA Championships at the end of our season.

Over the last several years Gunn has emerged as a recognized rowing power, finishing in the top six or better at the NEIRAs and placing first in the National Scholastic Championships in 2014. We have had a number of rowers compete on the U.S. Junior and Senior National Teams and many have forged college careers at the Division I and Division III levels. Over the past decade, the crew program has sent graduates to the University of Washington, Northeastern University, Brown University, Franklin and Marshall, Syracuse University, and Hobart and William Smith, among many others.

Most of our athletes come to us with no previous experience, and we believe that it is our commitment to a strong novice and JV program that allows us to develop the competitive athletes who have contributed the continued success of our team

Meet the Coaches

Aidan Braithwaite

Assistant Coach

Aidan Braithwaite is a member of the History Department faculty and Assistant Coach for Boys Varsity Crew. A graduate of Milton High School in Massachusetts, Aidan holds bachelor’s degrees in history and economics from Bates College, where he earned All-NESCAC Second Team honors in 2022 as the senior coxswain for the Bobcats. His boat, the first varsity eight, won a bronze medal and the Bates men’s rowing team took third place overall in the D3 points standings at the IRA National Championship Regatta in 2022. In his spare time, he likes to hike, ski, and play pickup sports. He lives in Washington with his wife, Kaitlin, and their dog, Thor.
Sal Lilienthal

Rowing Operations Manager

In addition to assisting the Crew Team and coordinating The Frederick Gunn School’s Regattas, Sal is the Head Coach for the Boys and Girls Varsity Ski Teams and teaches U.S. History and in 2021, taught a popular Winterim course, "Revolutionaries, Spies and a Traitor." Outside of Gunn, he operates the Bicycle Tour Company, based in Kent. As an Independent Revolutionary War Historian, he authored two Experiential Learning Travel Guides. In August 2021, Sal’s led a 700-mile Bike and Kayak Tour, following the 1781 Route of the French and American Armies from Newport, Rhode Island to Yorktown, Virginia, supported in part by a grant from the National Park Service. While at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, he studied Economic Development in Sri Lanka and enjoyed rowing competitively.
Ellissa Popoff

Assistant Coach

Ellissa Popoff is the Assistant Dean of Faculty, Head House Parent in Emerson, and a member of the History Department faculty as well as Assistant Coach for Girls Varsity Crew. Born in Vancouver, Canada, Elissa grew up in Pennsylvania, Old Lyme, Connecticut, and Taiwan. A graduate of Tabor Academy, she holds a bachelor's degree in history and psychology from Williams College and a master’s in psychology from Connecticut College. Prior to joining The Frederick Gunn School, Ellissa taught in the Social Sciences Department at Tilton School in New Hampshire. In her last year there, she served as Assistant Coach for Girls Varsity Ice Hockey, and as a dorm parent, and ran the grade 12/post-graduate level program. Fun fact: Ellissa lived in Northern Sweden (in the town of Ornskoldsvik) for a year between high school and college. In her free time, she likes to hike, knit, crochet, and travel. She lives on campus with her boyfriend, Nick Sceggell, her dog, Marla, and cats, Alvie and Simon.
Christopher Visentin

Head Coach

Christopher Visentin grew up in Rhinebeck, New York, and graduated from Kent School. He rowed at Kent and Hamilton College, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in English. In addition to a master’s in English from Boston University, he earned a law degree from BU School of Law with a concentration in intellectual property law. Prior to joining Gunn, he was a freelance writer in Philadelphia. At Gunn, he teaches English, is Head Coach for Boys Rowing, and Interim Director of Rowing. He is also the faculty advisor for The Stray Shot literary magazine and enjoys photography, painting, reading and writing (mostly) poetry. He and his wife, Holly, and their daughter, Imogen, live off campus with their rescue dog, Beatrice.