Cross country became a varsity sport at The Gunnery in the early 1960s. Highlights of the program’s history have been New England divisional championships in 1974 and 1986, and numerous male and female All-New England runners headed by Pat O’Neil, who finished first in the championships in 1973 and 1974. The yearly schedule includes a combination of six dual, tri, and quad meets. It opens with the preseason Canterbury Invitational meet which hosts over thirty-five independent school teams from the northeast. In mid-season the runners race in the eight-team O’Connell Invitational. The season ends with participation in the Division IV NEPSTA Championships. The Gunnery is lucky to be adjacent to the Steep Rock Reservation and its many fine trails and dirt roads for running. There are also numerous roads and trails in other parts of town and the scenic 7.8 mile loop around Lake Waramaug.
