We all hear a lot of talk about pursuing excellence these days, but it’s still rare to find individuals and organizations that seek the “best possible” rather than settle for the “good enough.”

Yet I’m struck, again and again, by how frequently we see the passionate pursuit of excellence among individuals with spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury and those who live and work with them.

Although feats of excellence can be one or more seemingly small steps to reach a goal – hardly noticeable to most – they can be so very meaningful to those affected. Of course, there are also examples of excellence that immediately stand out and grab our attention.

In this issue of Vistas, we focus on individuals and organizations that are moving beyond the ordinary and expanding their boundaries in a variety of ways.

On an individual level, we introduce you to Scott Hogsett, a nationally recognized athlete who was featured in the acclaimed documentary, “Murderball.” Scott’s pursuit of excellence in wheelchair rugby has led him to achieve prominence in his sport while providing inspiration for countless others.

Organizationally, we’re focusing on several important examples of excellence. We’re highlighting the expansion of the Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs’ successful Service Coordination for Children with Traumatic Brain Injury Program to serve children with spinal cord injury. In addition, Mattie Cummins, the Executive Director of the Brain Injury Association of Arizona, talks to us about the goals and priorities of this dynamic organization.

We’re also celebrating the growth of Arizona’s annual TBI Rights and Resources Conference from its humble half-day beginning four years ago to its recent success as a two-day event that is a central focus for the TBI community. And we’re reporting on productive partnerships among organizations that have led to the success of our SCI Empowerment Course.

These are just a few of the examples of excellence that we see everyday. Are there more out there? We think so. We at the Governor’s Council on Spinal and Head Injuries would love to hear your comments on other individuals and organizations that embody excellence.