Want to think of a family that truly exhibits the spirit of San Pedro? Look no further.

The Cortez family has been one of the biggest contributors to the San Pedro High School scene in more ways than one, and are absolute community gems. Jimmy Sr., Jimmy Jr., Kim, Johnie, Jessica and Jackie Cortez are all very near and dear to the city of San Pedro.

San Pedro High School would never be the same without their various contributions.

Jimmy Sr. has not only been maintaining the softball field but has helped maintain the baseball field since 2005 when Jimmy Jr. started playing varsity baseball as a freshman and still spends countless hours at the school, regularly attending all the football home games.

Jimmy Jr. was the backup quarterback that got thrust into a starting role his junior season, then as a senior, he was a member of the 2008 CIF-Los Angeles City Section co-championship team. Yet, baseball was his top sport at San Pedro High and rightfully so. As a freshman, he was named the rookie of the year, and as a sophomore he pitched a seven-inning perfect game against Washington Prep of Los Angeles, first time that a San Pedro baseball player pitched a no-hitter, much less a perfect game, in 50 years. Jimmy Jr.'s most memorable moment came in his senior year, where he hit a dramatic two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning that tied rival Banning of Wilmington, and then in the same game, he drove in the winning run with a single in the eighth inning.

Jimmy Jr.'s homer against Banning that day in 2008 was the first of its kind to completely jump over the right-field net that was put up in 2005 due to neighbor's complaints near the campus of balls going over the fence in practices that were smashing windows of houses.

Jimmy Jr. is also an accomplished musician, as he plays both the guitar and keyboards.

Kim may not have played a sport in her days at San Pedro High but she is one of the leading kickboxing coaches and fitness leaders at Harbor Kickboxing since April of 2008 and her sister, Kristin Camacho has a son named Dominic Camacho who was one of the top receivers on the football team. Dominic is famous for his 25-yard touchdown catch in the closing seconds that stunned Narbonne of Harbor City during his junior season.

Jimmy Sr. and Kim's three daughters are all very talented.

Jessica, a 2011 San Pedro High graduate, is a skilled artist, as she had many of her photos in various open house events at the school and made a documentary in one of her classes about her loving mother at Harbor Kickboxing that won her the award that year for best documentary.

Jackie, currently a junior at San Pedro, is another amazing student with a 3.8 GPA, and has lightened up the audience at Pirate Stadium, pep rallies and various competitions on the Dance-Drill Team with her awesome dancing talent. Jackie has been on the Drill Team since her freshman year and has won the award for 'best showmanship' every year on Drill.

In many ways, dancing is a sport too, and Jackie proves it every Friday night during football season.

Johnie, currently a sophomore, has a 3.4 GPA and is a member of the Leadership group. Not only that, Johnie is another athletic star in the family, making the varsity softball team as a freshman. In limited action, Johnie hit .450 with 10 RBIs and 22 runs scored for San Pedro's dynamite softball program, while also starting in some games at second base, which she'll likely be able to do in 2013.

The one thing that is truly amazing about the Cortez family is that they all share the same bond, and that bond is their undying faith in God that allows them to be as highly involved in the community and do the things they do for not only San Pedro, but to all those who are equally as blessed to know them.

I for one am very privileged to be friends with the Cortez family. They make all of San Pedro very proud.