Robbie Findley's head was on a swivel, eyes darting this way and that, not knowing what was coming next, the butterflies in his stomach fluttering uncontrollably.
It's that way with rookies, of course. They have no idea what's coming next.
And he wasn't even on the field yet.
Having survived the MLS SuperDraft, Findley's first week of training camp came to an end Friday, with the forward from Oregon State clearly in his element.
"I feel good," Findley said. "I'm getting to know the guys, I'm fitting in pretty well with the guys. I feel like I'm ready for the next level."
Which, of course, is exactly what the Galaxy expected when they chose him in the first round on Jan. 13 - after they had traded away two picks to obtain partial allocation slots for their roster.
Finally at the 16th selection, Findley could exhale.
"Anything can happen on draft day," he said. "It's crazy on draft day. Anything can happen. I just sat there and waited. It was real nerve-wracking, to tell you the truth, but when it happened it took some stress off my shoulders."
Now, matters are in his hands. The 5-foot-9, 163-pounder four- time All-Pacific-10 Conference performer has a ew weeks to make his impression on the Galaxy and coach Frank Yallop, who is trying to retool an offense that went stagnant during the 2006 season.
Findley, a Phoenix native who has two cousins already in professional sports - Mike Bibby of the Sacramento Kings and Shaun McDonald of the St. Louis Rams - might be one to help spark the Galaxy offensively. In 69 career games at Oregon State, he scored 28 goals, third on the school's all-time list.
He also stood out at the MLS combine in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the week before the draft and as a dual citizen, has taken part in Trinidad and Tobago's under-23 national team camp.
"Robbie's one that I would say has done well on the week," Yallop said. "He's stood out in the time he's been with us. He stood out in the combine, I felt, down in Florida. And I think he has a bright future.
"You never know because some players really take to professional soccer and some players struggle with it. I think Robbie has the makeup to do very well in this league. He's not just one-dimensional. He likes to get involved obviously with the play up front, but he can play a number of positions which in this league is priceless, really."
In a league with a stringent salary cap and the Galaxy forever stretching the rule's limits - hello, David Beckham - just being good enough might not be good enough to fit in to a particular team.
Findley might have some more nervous moments down the line, but he's determined not to allow that to enter his approach on the field. Nor does he feel any added pressure as the team's top draft pick.
"I really don't pay any attention to that at all," he said. "I look at it as all the other guys coming in here and trying out. I need to come out and do what I need to do still. I really don't know what to expect. I just told myself I'm going to come in here, work hard in training camp and maybe try and earn a spot on the roster."
One of the characteristics Findley takes pride in is his composure, an attribute that was instilled in him by his college experience. After all, he had to survive four years of challenging weather in Corvallis, Ore. after growing up in the Valley of the Sun.
"It was tough, being from Arizona," he said, laughing. "It was nasty, but I got used to it. I did what I needed to do."
With the Galaxy, he rejoins his former college teammate, forward Alan Gordon, also an Arizona native.
"There's a lot of guys out here and the talent's through the roof," Findley said. "You've just got to be on top of your game, just have confidence in what you do. You're going to mess up here and there, but you've just got to let it go and get it on the next one."