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My son started at 14. For the first couple of years, I worked with him at youth tournaments on Saturday mornings. I usually had worked the night before but really wanted to be out there with him.
He had a couple of advantages--first he was a big kid and coaches likely thought he was older than he actually was. Second, he had me watching his back. Even the youth coaches figure out really quick when a varsity level official is working their games and I think they behaved better than typical.
I always stressed he had to know the rules and had to work on proper mechanics.
Now that he is grown up, lives two hours away, is a lawyer, and married with a small child, I will always cherish the days we reffed together.
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