My daughter grew up watching me shoot IPSC, for fun, the serious stuff she didn't get to see. When she was 14 and a bit over 5' nothing, heck she ain't much taller now in her late 30's, she decided she wanted to shoot IPSC! OK since I was shooting a 1911 I loaned her my Glock 19, ONLY at the range for practice and competition with ME present, she easily outshot men that had been shooting for years. When she got her first place, still not old enough to buy a handgun, got her a 20 ga pump that, like stated above, was a little bit difficult to handle around the house but she still shot it well.
OK that's story number 1. Second story is my wife , again, slightly over 5' nothing. She was a dispatcher for many years and in the smallish department she worked for if you wanted to ride along you HAD to qualify, 00 buck and slugs, with the same 12 ga that all the officers carried. She qual'd every 6 months!! Shoulder looked like she'd been in a VERY BIG fight for a few days but she handled it graciously!
This is all just saying if they want it shoot let them shoot what they want!
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!
Sarge

__________________
SFC, US Army, Retired