I wouldn't use kids to call games, but stranger things have happened.
Perhaps the assigned officials didn't show. Most leagues have a rule that says a team can cancel or postpone a game if officials don't show, BUT if they agree to start the game without officials or by selecting dads, kids, coaches, whoever, to call the game, THE GAME STANDS. You can't go back after the game and protest that you didn't use proper officials.
We had a game last year at a neutral site where the local refs chapter cancelled their officials at 2 pm; I spent a couple hours trying to find refs, but couldn't. Teams agreed to have an assistant coach from each school call the game (it was non-district and both of us traveled a couple hours.
And I also remember our first JH championship day about five years ago. A local (non-TASO) officials group really wanted to call the games and build experience. So, I agreed to give them the gig. Two days before, they e-mail me (no phone call) and tell me that a couple of their guys had to leave town and they couldn't cover the games. I tried area TASO chapters and was also out of luck. I don't use that organization for football anymore, either.
