Faces of New Canaan: Ronnie Roganti

We’ve wanted to track down Ronnie Roganti for a while for an installment of “Faces of New Canaan.” A high school senior, Ronnie has been a fixture on the sidelines at every football game for the last two years—home and away, postseason included.

He’s a gifted photographer with a knack for getting to the right spot for the big play (see photo at right, for example).

What we didn’t know until we sat down to talk to Ronnie (interview transcribed in full below) was how big a part New Canaan Rams varsity football coach Lou Marinelli played in Ronnie’s foray into sports photography.

We’ll let Ronnie tell that story in his own words, and just mention one more way that the New Canaan football program—and Ronnie is not a player—has helped shape his experience here in town.

A native of Westchester whose family moved here when he was in the fourth grade, which he spent at West, Ronnie also volunteers with special needs kids through a program an assistant coach on the football team at the time put him onto.

Here’s our conversation from a recent morning at CT Sandwich Co. on Pine Street.

New Canaanite: I’ve seen you and I know you go to all the football games.

Ronnie Roganti: Yes.

You’re a photographer?

Yes.

How long have you been doing that?

Two years. Last year was actually my very first year doing it and it was a great experience. This year, I feel like I started doing it again—

—You do just sports or focus entirely on football?

Just sports.

What made you start doing photography?

Sports photography?

That’s what it mainly is, right?

Right. Probably because I just have a love for sports. I grew up in a household that watched sports. Football, basketball, baseball.

Have you lived here your whole life?

No.

Where are you from?

Armonk, New York.

When did you move to New Canaan?

When I was nine years old.

And did you end up in an elementary school?

West.

And you’re a high school senior now?

Yes, 18 years old.

So you liked sports and then did you get a new camera or did you have one in the family?

For my 17^th birthday, from my parents. They said to take photos of what you want to do. And I just had so much interest in nature and sports. The rest is history.

Are you on the Courant staff?

No.

Where do you publish your photos?

Google Plus.

Do you have a blog? I know you share your photos with my brother Terry after the football games and you got that game-winning catch, the LaPolice catch, from the state championship game. You were right in position for that.

Right.

So as a sports photographer, you have to know where to go.

You do. It’s very hard as a sports photographer, because I personally don’t know what the plays are. If they are running or passing or a screen play. You have to position yourself in the right way. And I just try to do my job and take good photos.

What type of camera do you have?

Nikon D-3100.

What sports do you cover?

Just football.

You covered last season too?

Yes.

So now that the season is over, what are you planning to do photography-wise?

Possibly hockey. Maybe, I don’t know yet. Thinking about it.

How do you get down on the field? Do you have a deal with [Athletic Director Jay] Egan or does Lou Marinelli know you?

Lou Marinelli is a good guy, and a good guy to know.

How did he know you?

When I came to the high school as a freshman, I had coach Marinelli as a gym teacher and he was very nice to me and very welcoming to the new freshmen. When we were in gym class, he asked me if I would try out for the next year’s football team, because he knew I played baseball and was an athlete. So I turned the opportunity down.

So now let’s fast forward to my 17^th birthday. I received a camera for my 17th birthday. And so coming in my junior year of high school, one of my teachers Mr. Ditolla, former assistant Coach for the New Canaan Rams football team. He told me I should take photos at a practice and see how I like it and possibly go to the varsity football games. I told him maybe, I was a shy kid. So I went up to coach Marinelli and asked him if I could take pictures at one of their practices and go to one of the games. He thought I was joking because he always saw me as an athlete, not a photographer and he was really shocked. So I went to one of their football practices, and I was really scared and all the players were looking at me. So I was kind of nervous. So I just stuck with it and went to the games and not a lot of people knew who I was. So I didn’t get a lot of attention that junior year for my sports photography. So after seeing football that year, I was thinking about possibly trying out for the football team my senior year. So I tried out, and It didn’t go well, it was a lot of work and school was starting that month—in August—so I went to coach Marinelli’s office at school. I asked coach Marinelli if I can take photos this year, so I started taking photos and everyone really liked them, especially the players, and the team moms. Players started using my photos as their social media pictures and profile pictures. I was shocked. I’m just doing my job and it clicked for me. And the rest is history. If Coach Marinelli didn’t allow me to take photos and go out of my comfort zone, I wouldn’t be where I am today. One the day of the football banquet, I went in Lou’s office some of my photos I printed out for the captain, and one photo I showed him, it was a photo of Alex LaPolice catching the winning touchdown and he kept staring at that photo and was also very amazed. So Lou called Alex to go to his office and kind of teased him about almost dropping the ball. So I kind of teased him also and we laughed. I told both of them, I am just doing my job, and if I wasn’t getting the shots, I wouldn’t be doing my job. This season was a really good season for the football team, and I congratulate them on a terrific season. Lou Marinelli is a great coach and even a greater person. He’s a really nice guy and you learn a lot from him about school and stuff in general. So if it wasn’t for him telling me I can go to one of his practices, I wouldn’t be in this position for sports photography.

I love to hear all of this. You go to all home and away games both?

Yes.

Where does this go from here? What are your plans for next year?

Probably going to college and taking a course in photography or possibly majoring in photography. We’ll see what happens.

Tell me some more about you. Are you an athlete as well?

Yes, baseball.

What position?

Pitcher. Left-handed pitcher.

Tell me about you and New Canaan, what are some of the spots you like in New Canaan? Tell me about living here.

I like Tony’s Deli across the street. I go a lot. Nice way to connect with your friends.

What about other organizations in town? Are you involved with the SLOBs?

I’m going to say I am not. I do help out with special needs kids on Saturday mornings.

Through what organization?

Best Buddies.

Tell me about that.

I’ve been involved since freshman year and ever since I started, I fell in love with it.

What brought you to that organization in the first place?

It was actually coach Dittola. I had Mr. Dittola for a teacher.

You have siblings?

I do, a sister. She’s in college in Pennsylvania.

Whereabouts?

Do you know Williamsport?

Yes, they have the Little League World Series there.

It’s actually really cool. I took photos of the games there, enjoyed it.

What was it like moving to New Canaan from Armonk?

Very different. In Armonk, kids are different. Here, people are in their own little groups a bit more. You have to find your own group. I was very fortunate in finding a group.

Which group are you in?

Sports.

Athletes? Fans?

Fans. Baseball group, baseball players.

What brought your family here?

The schools. They’re so good here. I learn a lot. My parents looked into it and decided this would be a good place for me and my sister.

When you applied for college, did you look at the photography programs? Did you apply to a school that had a good photography section?

Just applied to places grade-wise and we’ll see what happens.

What would be your dream for after college as far as photography? What’s the dream vision professionally?

Probably top-notch sports photography. Football, baseball.

What type of company?

Don’t know yet.

What is it about photography that you like so much?

The creativity of it. My mom, dad, sister always told me I was very creative. My mom used to tell my teachers in elementary school that I’m creative in music, art, fashion.