This weekend I took my 16 year old daughter out for her first tournament, just a little club derby. She likes fishing but has only ever used a spinning rod. I'm fortunate enough to have a buddy who works for Shimano and he let me borrow a Curado DC for her to use. Long story short, it should be everyone's first baitcaster. We practiced for a day and a half. She could cast it immediately without a major backlash, by noon on the second day of practice she could pitch like she's been doing it for years (honestly better than some guys I fish with regularly). She used it to throw a frog and pitch a jig, had it spooled up with 40lb Power Pro. Unfortunately the frog bite wasn't happening but she did catch quite a few fish on the jig including our first keeper of the tournament. She had it on the #4 setting the whole time but there was no real loss in casting distance.
Despite what they say, it will overrun a little bit (even set at 4) but never had a backlash that dad had to pick out. By the end of the tournament she said she liked the baitcaster better than a spinning reel.
We didn't do great but did come in with a 9lb limit. Easily my favorite 9lb limit ever (and I've had a few of those).