When I was in HS I used to keep the book and/or clock for military intramurals and base team games. During my senior in HS the head of the association at Travis AFB asked me if wanted to be an official. I said no because I was thinking I'd be reffing adults I was scared/intimidated. Never even occurred to me that I would start off with little kids games.
Ended up waiting until I was 37 1/2 years old (in need of $$$ because of impending divorce) when I wore the stripes for the first time. Luckily I've had a pretty good career progression for someone who started that late. But boy, where would I be now if I had started as a teen-ager?
Tomegun officiated my games when I was in the military in the early/mid 90's, sure wish he would have recruited to the darkside back then.