Shaun Brumm's happy place isn't on the ground. It's 20 feet in the air. Shaun, the son of Steve and Danielle Brumm of Bainbridge, is a competitive trampoline athlete. He recently brought home a gold medal from a national USA Gymnastics competition in Dallas.

"The thing I love most about this sport is the rush it gives you," said Shaun, who just graduated from Elizabethtown Area High School. "Between jumping 20 feet in the air or competing in front of a large arena, there's no better feeling."

Shaun began trampoline at the age of 2, when he joined a parent and tot class with his mother. He began competing at the age of 6.

"I do two events - one is double mini and the other is competitive trampoline," Shaun shared. Double mini includes running to gain power before jumping on the trampoline and landing on a mat, while trampoline is similar to what people may have in their backyards, only a lot bouncier, he noted.

At the national competition, Shaun took gold in the double mini, which he says he took up to add another event and make travel to competitions worthwhile. "Dallas was an amazing trip filled with lots of laughs and fun times with my family and team members," remarked Shaun, who was accompanied by his main coach, McKenzie Benedict. "When it came to winning double mini, I had no idea I was going to win." He noted that he typically focuses and trains the hardest on trampoline, and he's won more competitions with that skill. "I do double mini more for fun," he stated. "I never expected that would become the event I took home a national title with."

In fact, going into the finals, Shaun was in fifth place. "I was nearly three points behind first, and in this sport, three points is lot - almost like being down 20 points in basketball," he said. But he kept his cool, noting that being able to relax is a key to success in the sport. "You only have one try to win, not an hour-plus like in other sports," he said. "One single try on each pass, and if you aren't relaxed for that one try, you'll almost always fall."

At the end of June, Shaun will travel to Tulsa, Okla., to take part in another national competition. He noted that he's both excited and nervous to compete, adding that he lost his consistent practice space locally two days after winning in Dallas. "It's been challenging finding times and places to train, but like I always say, nothing worth having comes easy," he commented.

Shaun plans to attend HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College in Lancaster before transferring to Penn State. "My plans are to study ICU nursing in college," he said. "I've always had such a strong desire to be a part of the medical field. My eventual goal is to get my flight paramedics and begin working on the Flight for Life teams."

He credits his success in his sport with being able to enjoy the ups and downs of the journey - no pun intended. "You can't be so fixed on the end goals that you forget how to even get there," he said. "I love this sport and the people. Winning and competing is simply an added bonus to me."