A semi-professional contract is the first goal Aimee Black has ticked off in her football career – and the Aberdeen Women defender is eager for more.
This has been a breakthrough season for the 17-year-old, who has started all five of the Dons’ SWPL games and received her first Scotland under-19s call-up earlier this week.
Black also penned her first semi-professional contract with Aberdeen at the start of the season after impressing manager Clint Lancaster in pre-season.
To sign a paid deal with the Dons was a personal milestone the young defender was not expecting to reach so early on in her senior career.
Black said: “I got the call when I was actually coaching a kids football camp, and the day before at the Spartans pre-season game Clint said he needed to speak to me.
“I was up all night all thinking what it might be about, but I was just delighted when he said I would be getting offered a contract.
“I’m just taking it all in. There are some bigger goals I have for my career that I hope can happen, and now I have this contract I feel like I can start to visualise where I might be in a couple of years.”
Black learning from top-flight experiences
Black played a handful of games from the bench in the SWPL last term, but already seems to have cemented her place as a regular starter in Lancaster’s squad this season.
That has been another surprise for her Black, but she aims to keep learning from her top-flight experiences.
The Dons return to SWPL action, aiming to secure back-to-back wins, against Hamilton Accies – who are yet to pick up a point this season – at Balmoral Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Black said: “As a youngster, at only 17, it was unexpected to be thrown into the backline and just to be getting all of these minutes has been a surprise.
“It’s been amazing so far. The players that I’m working with now are still young because we’re a young team, but they have more experience in this league and I’ve learned a lot from them already.
“Just being in this environment has been good, and it’s taken my game up a notch.”
Black’s form in the SWPL has been rewarded with a first Scotland U19 call-up and the defender could be in line to make her debut in a double header against Hungary in Edinburgh later this month.
Playing for Scotland is not unfamiliar to Black, who has nine caps at under-17s level, and she is keen to make the most of the step up.
Black added: “It was quite unexpected. It’s always an honour to play for your country, and it’s just another experience I’ll take on board and try to learn as much as I can from.
“I’m just excited for the opportunity. It would obviously be amazing to go and get game time, but I wouldn’t really expect it at this age.”
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