During the week, SC Chamber of Commerce President Ted Pitts deals with state power brokers.

On weekends, he puts on a striped shirt as a football referee and deals with combative coaches who are confined to the sidelines.

Pitts, a Lexington native, represented us in the Statehouse before succeeding another Lexington native Otis Rawl as chamber president.

How did he become involved in refereering?

Pitts, the son of former Carolina Gamecocks great Ed Pitts, grew up playing baseball, basketball and football on Lexington County’s fields and courts.

“The most meaningful memories, lessons learned and relationships that I have today I got through participating in sports,” he said.

“When I finished playing football at Presbyterian College I thought I wanted to coach but ended up choosing a career in business.”

Officiating was a way for him to stay around sports.

He refereed basketball and football until his wife Christina made him choose one or the other.

He focusing on football at first at the high school level, then to the South Atlantic Conference, the Southern Conference, Sun Belt Conference and now this season he’s officiating in the SEC.

Do unhappy fans on close calls bother him?

“This may surprise all of those conspiracy theorists out there but officials just want to get it right,” he said.

“As an official you are more concerned with how you are judged by your supervisor, film grader and other members of the crew than any fan. You can’t hide a missed or incorrect call with all of the cameras on a college game these days.

“We wouldn’t miss many calls if we could watch the game in slow motion and hit replay as many times as we need. We look at it in full speed and only once.”

Pitts believes passionate fans are good for the game.

“The reason the SEC is considered the top Power 5 conference in the country is because the schools have the best fans. But remember, “fan” is short for fanatic. They aren’t unbiased.”

What has he learned from this experience?

“Working football has been fun but the most rewarding thing you get out of it are the relationships with other officials,” he said.

“Every weekend during the season you spend a lot of time away from home with what becomes your extended family.

“As you work your way up the ranks, there is more and more of a time commitment and accountability but the friendships that you build along the way are priceless.”

How has he found serving as a center judge for SEC games different?

“I have worked almost my entire career as a referee. Working as center judge is a little bit of a transition.

“The center judge works with the referee in the offensive backfield across from the referee so you see a lot of the same things.

“Working the center judge position was an opportunity to move from the Sun Belt Conference to the SEC.

“I am excited about it.”

20 years ago when he started, working in the SEC had been his goal.

What would he tell those who may want to become sports officials?

“First, if you miss being around the game, consider becoming an official.

“We need officials. It is fun and rewarding.

“Second, if a high school or college kid is out there working a game. Don’t act like an idiot if they miss a call. They are learning just like the kids playing the game and you yelling at them isn’t going to help.”