'Nana' supports entire football team with traditional pasta dinners

An Indiana woman is carrying on with a time honored 34-year-old tradition. 

Diane Winklejohn is known to the Dwenger High School football team as "Nana." 

To support the team, she feeds the entire football team with a homemade pasta dinner, a tradition that began in 1983 when her son's team won their first state title. 

"When we were seniors, somebody mentioned that it was good to eat pasta before a game," said Terry Winklejohn. "So, literally, we asked my mom to make us lasagna. One of my teammates said that was the first night of what became a long tradition at Dwenger of Thursday night pasta dinners," he said. 

Now, her grandson is going for the same state title. "I said, 'Mrs. Winklejohn is too formal,' so I said, 'Just call me Nana,'" she said. "It's just more grandkids, how bout that?" 

The team dinner has become more of a family dinner to everyone. "It's definitely family, not just our immediate family, but our Dwenger family as well," Terry Winklejohn said. 

The Dwenger football team will play this week in the semi-state game. They may have the advantage with Nana on their side!