The Lake Highlands High School Lady Wildcats volleyball team knows a thing or two about winning tough battles – they won some nail-biters on their way to the state semi-finals in San Marcos last season. But they have one contest they are determined to win together – teammate Emily Obenhaus’ fight against cancer.

Emily, who’ll be a sophomore at LHHS, was recently diagnosed with melanoma and the team has rallied around her since that day. They initiated a fundraiser – Cats for the Cure – in an effort raise awareness and show support for Emily. They are selling pink tees, emblazoned with “Cats for the Cure,” for $10 each. Local real estate agents Glen Christy, Robin Norcross and Jason Thomas of Ebby Halliday have agreed to sponsor the effort. “We’re proud of the girls for taking the initiative,” Robin told me. “We know they are winners on and off the field.”

Sign up for our newsletter!

* indicates required

More after the jump:

“Emily is the sweetest girl, a little shy,” LHHS senior and team captain Rachel Peters told me. “We took her a shirt that the girls all signed and she was really surprised and grateful. She’s in our prayers, and we want her to get better soon so she can come watch us play and rejoin the team.”

The Cats hope to see the pink shirts around town and in the stands to support Emily, and they’ve created a special night, September 11, for Pink Out Night. There’s no football game that Friday night (The Wildcats play Thursday that week), so the girls are hoping for a full house of fans.

T-shirts can be ordered by emailing senior Rachael Zreet, who had the idea for the project and is coordinating the effort. Give Rachael your name, size, and quantity, and you can pick up and pay for your shirt outside the LHHS gym on August 5 from noon to 2 p.m. or by arrangement. Hot pink – it’s the new black and red.