"Dakota and Ryan contacted me so I just kept them in touch with Thor's progress," says Kearns as the pair logged into her Facebook to check out the now 9-year-old Napier Skating Club member's profile as well as offer him advice.
But when Larsen finished fourth at the Australasian Scooter Championship in Brisbane in April this year as a member of "Team New Zealand", it struck a chord with Schuetz who himself only took up the sport at 10 before competing six months later.
"Thor got a big thumbs up from Dakota who said how awesome it was and wished him the best of luck," says the mother whose son also is the best in New Zealand in his age group. To Larsen's delight, the world champion upped the stakes to say he would "catch up with Thor one day".
The world champion kept his word and a few weeks ago confirmed, via social media, that he would arrive in Napier on July 11.
"He wants to have some downtime with us until he leaves on the 14th of July for Salt Lake City for the Nitro World Games," she says of Schuetz who goes by the nickname of "Kota" and is in Morocco this week.
"He'll be staying at our Napier Hill home and for three days Thor will hang out with him and learn. There'll be some early morning scoots along the beach here," she says with a grin.
Schuetz is reportedly one of just two people to have completed all 40 tricks in Tricknology, a website with a list of challenging tricks. Only one trick took him more than one try. He also is the first person to have landed the 1080 manoeuvre.
"The Napier council is giving us vouchers so Dakota can feed the sharks at the nearby aquarium," says Kearns.
For Larsen, it's understandably way out of this world.
Schuetz will run his "Kota Kamp" on Wednesday, July 13, for 35 enthusiasts at the soon-to-be dismantled Sk8 Zone to make way for a new park under development, scheduled to be completed in November.
The Napier City Council, which is undertaking the development, has postponed the club's move-out date from July 6 to July 17 to allow it to host Schuetz following a meeting on June 2.
Council spokeswoman Fiona Fraser says their staff have been liaising with the club to help promote and fund the Schuetz event as "a great opportunity to see the park out in style".
"The council is also in discussions with Sk8 Zone management currently, with a view to setting up a short-term pop-up skate space in Napier to help bridge the gap between the closure of Sk8 Zone and the opening of the new park," says Fraser.
Larsen started scootering when he was 4 after his father, Chris Larsen, took him to Sk8 Zone. The youngster realises he needs to be dedicated and have a good attitude to become a professional like his idol.
For the record, Larsen, who has Madd Gear Pro sponsorship, picks Schuetz's "Bri Buttercup" trick as his favourite.
"You spin the scooter once and in the second time you do it with three tail whips," he says.
Kota Kamp
Scooter enthusiasts who attend the "Kota Kamp" in Napier next month are in for a hoot.
Not only will the lucky 35 riders sponge off an endless list of tips and tricks from the American four-time world champion Dakota Schuetz, they also will leave Sk8 Zone with all the other aspects of the fundamentals of the code.
Schuetz is conducting his camp on Wednesday, July 13, while making a trip to Napier to fulfil a promise he made to 9-year-old Napier Skating Club member Thor Larsen.
The 20-year-old from California will cover the basics of equipment, technique and tricks.
He also will talk on park riding skills as well as highlight the basics required in the competitive arena.
Napier club president Matt Cooper says Schuetz also will give insight into filming, photography and making quality edits that enthusiasts can employ to improve their riding.
"This will be the only Kota Kamp he'll run in New Zealand [this year]," says Cooper of the camp that will cover fitness, nutrition and recovery as well as safety and park etiquette.
A feature of the safety aspect in freestyle scootering is impressing on riders the importance of wearing certified helmets.
