![SPORTY IMPORTS: Some of the African refugees training for basketball at Lambton High School.- Picture by Natalie Grono SPORTY IMPORTS: Some of the African refugees training for basketball at Lambton High School.- Picture by Natalie Grono](/images/transform/v1/resize/frm/silverstone-feed-data/b2a29b5d-9df9-4ae8-90d8-ca21bb4e1730.jpg/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![Lions roar into town African youngsters make mark on local sporting scene Lions roar into town African youngsters make mark on local sporting scene](/images/transform/v1/resize/frm/silverstone-feed-data/685043f1-9fed-4962-bb84-a45a9d43bb42.jpg/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
SIXTY-five young African refugees are gaining plenty of attention in Newcastle due to their natural sporting talents.
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They are part of the African Lions Sporting Development Program, which is aimed at developing their skills and helping them integrate into the local community.
The program won a Newcastle City Council award for commitment and service to the community this year, and program manager Ros Gianacas expects it to grow further in 2008.
"The idea started from a couple of older African boys who wanted to organise something for the African youth in Newcastle," Gianacas said.
"We've got 65 kids involved in basketball and futsal in Newcastle competitions and they've just got so much talent."
Most of the young Africans had not played competitive sport before joining the program and their results in their first campaigns have been impressive.
"Our under-14 girls' basketball team made the grand final and were runners-up in their first ever year of sport and our under-16 boys won the grand final in their first season," Gianacas said.
The program also boasts an under-19 men's basketball team, who have played before and captured their fourth straight title this year, plus an under-14 boys' side.
"We have received so much support from the Newcastle Basketball Stadium," Gianacas said.
"This year we had five representatives playing in Newcastle Hunters teams and we had 20 try out for next year."
Australian under-20 coach Tim Mallon helps train the basketball squads once a week at Lambton High School and Steve Bland offers his services to the futsal squads.