Ashley Watkins Jordan recalled that her youngest sister, Victoria, was uncharacteristically nervous when she talked to her on the eve of the Florida Strawberry Festival queen's pageant.
Jordan, 22, had been there before.
She was the 2005 festival queen.
She offered some sisterly advice: "Whether you win or not the most important thing is that you put your best foot forward and just be yourself."
The next day, the 17-year-old Victoria won the coveted crown.
Both young women were elated, particularly since they share a similar bond with their middle sister, Allie, who was first maid on the 2007 queen's court.
The three Watkins daughters always keep family first.
"I feel really blessed to share the same experience that my sisters shared," said Victoria, a Plant City High School senior.
Victoria Watkins was chosen winner from a field of 30 contestants before a sold-out crowd at the festival expo hall.
She said she could scarcely believe it when 2010 festival Queen Natalie Burgin placed the crown on her head at the Feb. 5 pageant.
"I really wasn't expecting it," she said.
"I feel really honored that I was chosen."
Victoria said by the time she got home from the more than three-hour pageant, she had more than 40 text messages, 45 notes of congratulations and 54 friend requests on her Facebook page.
Her cheering section at the pageant included her parents Michael and Heather; Allie, who is a 20-year-old Florida State University student studying fashion merchandising; her 15-year-old brother Michael Jr.; and her grandmothers.
Victoria Garren was selected first maid and other court members are Taelor Highland, Kori Lane and Summer Norris.
Ashley, who lives in Colorado Springs, Colo. with her husband, Army Lt. 1st Chris Jordan, was unable to attend, but was undoubtedly there in spirit.
Ashley recalled how she shared with Victoria how she prayed and called on her faith in 2005 when she was running for queen and told her to "search her heart" for inner peace.
Ashley said she and her sister may share the same honor of wearing the crown, but they have different personalities.
Ashley, who works for the Girl Scouts setting up troops in schools in low-income areas, describes herself as a bit more reserved and laid back than her youngest sister.
She describes Victoria as more intense but with a great sense of humor.
"Victoria is the life of the party," she said.
Their father said it was "just as exciting" to see Victoria crowned as Ashley.
"We're proud for her to represent the festival and Plant City," said Michael, who was born in Lakeland but has lived in Plant City for many years.
Heather, a fifth-generation area resident, said she felt blessed as a mother to watch her three daughters compete and in two cases win the crown that many Plant City girls grow up hoping they'll one day wear.
"It's a rare opportunity to represent a really great city and the strawberry industry," she said.
Heather said she competed for festival queen in her younger days - never making it to the court - but didn't try to influence her daughters. They all seemed to make their own decisions after seeing queens at festivals they attended as young children.
"They had been in awe of the queen. They really became interested in it on their own."
Victoria worked hard when she set her sights on becoming queen, Heather said. She studied the history of Plant City and even told her mother things about the city she didn't know.
Festival queens play a major role in the festival, riding in parades, introducing headline acts and more. Beyond the festival, they represent the city and strawberry industry in special events.
Victoria said she is looking forward to the March 3 to 13 celebration.
She's particularly eager to introduce one of her favorite performers, country singer Trace Adkins, at his March 6 festival show, and she wants to dance the polka on senior day. It's a longstanding tradition that the queen and court dance with elderly festival visitors.
"I love to dance but I've never danced anything like the polka," she said.
Most of all, she looks forward to representing and helping promote her hometown.
"I think it will be a lot of fun. I can't wait."
This is only the second time in the history of the pageant, founded in 1930, that sisters have served as queen. Lauren and Erica Der, who served in 2009 and 2003, respectively, where the first sisters to wear the crown.
VICTORIA LIN WATKINS
Birthday: April 3, 1993
Hometown: Plant City
Personal: 5 feet, 7 inches tall with dark brown hair and brown eyes
Parents: Michael and Heather
Siblings: Ashley, Allie and Michael Jr.
Nicknames: Vickie and Vic
Education: Plant City High School senior; plans to attend Hillsborough Community College, then a culinary and arts school
Career plans: Wants to own a restaurant with Mediterranean cuisine, possibly in New Smyrna Beach where she likes to surf
Charitable interests: Big Brothers Big Sisters, American Cancer Society Relay for Life
Hobbies: Tennis, photography and watching the Food Network and trying out new recipes
Miscellaneous: Sister Ashley was 2005 queen; sister Allie was 2007 first maid; mother competed for queen but didn't make the court
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