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Hi, even though I don't ref in the States I can relate to your situation very well. I started refereeing when I was 17, that makes it 10 years now. And I started to work games on the highest level (professional league) here in my country, this year.
What can you do to get better? To repeat what others already told you, work as many games as possible! Ask someone to be your mentor, maybe he won't have enough time to ref many games with you, but you'll need somebody to talk about the things you experience on the court (this forum is a great place to do that, too). Keep a game log, write down 3 things to focus on, before every game, rate yourself after the game, what did you do well and where could you improve.
Points of emphasis for your first years will be mechanics (how to get into a good position), call selection (what needs to be called and what is just an unnecessary interrution of the flow of the game), selling your calls (signals and body language). Practice on the court and get yourself videotaped by a friend or family member. Practice in front of a mirror (what looks good and what doesn't). Talk to as many referees as you can, you can draw on their experience. Watch as much basketball as you can, and watch the referees. AZ_Ref said steal something from everybody who you see refereeing. he is right about that! Officiating is like a large buffet. You can take/try everything you see, but you'll stick to the things you liked (worked for you and your personality).
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