Brentford Women defender Makeba Black began the season with the B team but, since Carly Williams gave her a first-team debut in October, she has started 19 games on the bounce.
A right-back by trade, Black has settled into life under Williams at centre-half with remarkable poise.
The young defender puts that down to both the boss and her team-mates: “After the first two games, I just felt like part of the family.
“I’ve adapted well. At first, it was a bit of a challenge. Everyone’s going to have that first little moment of nerves but, with the team being so friendly and welcoming, it just helps you adapt quicker.
“Carly always explains to me that she’s picked me to play up for a reason, so I should never doubt myself. Any chats that I need to have with her, she’s there for me.”
Black has deserved all the minutes she has earned this season, bringing real pace and composure to the backline, and also scored her first goal for the first team in a 2-0 win over Ashford Town in early March.
“I’ve always been quite fast. At first, I would use that to go up and down the wing,” she said.
“Coming into centre-back, it’s also helped me because I can be that supporting player when tracking back and also when I’m stepping in. We all know how to drive past the player because we’re not solely centre-backs.”
She also has another trait that has become synonymous with Brentford full-backs: the long throw.
“My team-mates tell me I’ve got quite long arms!” she laughed.
“At my old club, I tried to throw the ball and thought, ‘This is quite fun’.
“Ever since then, it’s just progressed and got further. You can coach it, but it’s also just a natural thing.”
‘My team-mates tell me I’ve got quite long arms! You can coach it, but it’s also just a natural thing’
For Black, football wasn’t her first sport, but it does run in her family.
“I was more into gymnastics,” she recalled.
“I had an after-school club teacher, and he had a football club. My mum said I should try and learn how to play instead of just swinging off everybody’s arms and doing cartwheels on the pitch!
“My brother also played at academy level for Fulham and Crystal Palace but had a lot of injuries. He’s just joined Welling United.
“I’ve seen what he’s gone through and that really inspires me.”
Outside of the game, Black has started her own baking business (@bakedbykeebs on Instagram).
“It’s a Zen moment for me to practice my craft in a different way,” she explained.
“It teaches me a lot for life and football – attention to detail, keeping high standards.”
This season also saw Black make her debut at Gtech Community Stadium in front of a crowd of over 4,300.
“Growing up, I wouldn’t see girls that represented me on the pitch, but it was never going to stop me,” affirmed Black.
“Playing at the Gtech, it just shows that anyone can do anything they put their mind to.
“Seeing young girls in the stands was an amazing experience. It wasn’t the result we wanted, but the turnout of people that came to support us was unforgettable.”
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