I started a youth officiating program for my community's Rec. department several years ago, using high school kids as offiicals. The idea was good; the implementation was fair. Some of the "kids" took it up in college and a few continued beyond.
It is a lot of work -- not only the teaching, but the scheduling and evaluating. The quality of the "officials" varied widely. And each year a bunch graduated and I had to start all over with a new group.
It might work better in your (presumably, smaller) town. But basketball is a tough sport to officiate (as opposed to baseball or soccer, which around here also uses a lot of kids as officials.)
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