Female inmates in Lynwood jail play soccer with pros as part of intervention program

LYNWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- Women at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood went from inmates to teammates for a night.

Getting uniforms was the first step in a new program led by the Twinning Project, in partnership with Angel City Football Club.

The Twinning Project is a UK-based group that brings together professional clubs and inmates for sports-based intervention efforts.

"What we do is we twin professional soccer teams with a local jail or local prison to up-skill and provide education and opportunities to those serving custodial sentences," said Hilton Freund, chief executive of the Twinning Project.

Angel City FC's coaches will deliver and host a six-week course for 12 inmates.

The goal is to show the women that participating in sports can have a positive impact on their physical and mental health.

"We like to push the limits and boundaries to really inspire change and do things differently," said Angela Hucles Mangano, general manager of Angel City FC.

Out of about 4,000 women in this detention facility, 12 women were selected based on their dedication to physical health. They wake up at 5:45 every morning to work out, using water bottles as weights.

The women will have a graduation at the end of their six weeks, earning a leadership certification.

The Twinning Program is also involved in job placement for inmates after they complete the program.

Since 2018, the organization has delivered hundreds of refereeing and coaching courses in prisons across the United Kingdom.