If athlete is 8 years old.... I lean at a great boot from Nordica. It used to be called the Spark, now it is called the Hot Rod 60. It's normal 4 buckle design and comfortable without any work on most kid feat. I have one of my daughters in them. The other two are in Nordica race boots as they are racers. They are not real expensive.
What is important at 8 years old is definetly a boot that the 8 year old can flex. If you cant flex the boot, you can't make the ski work as intended. I would not (without seeing the 8 year old) recomend a boot stiffer than 60 flex points (in case you don't know, the lower the number, the more flexible the boot is). Most boots of decent quality are labeled. Height, strength and weight are what determine how stiff a boot you can flex.
under 80 lbs..... 70 or under in flex
under 110...... 80 or under in flex
under 150...... 100 or less in flex
All boots should be test on to make sure boot can be flexed fully before purchase. remember also that a boot flexes much better in warm temp.... (ie. in the shop you may bend it over, but on hill at 0 degrees it is unmovable by you as the plastic stiffens in cold)