RALEIGH - Carolina RailHawks coach Scott Schweitzer saw every one of the 48 men trying out for his soccer team. He watched them in 11-v-11 and 6-v-6 competition and even studied their individual warmups -- which clued him in to each player's level of professionalism.

With less than three months to go before training camp, the RailHawks aren't desperate to add to their roster. But last year's open tryouts led the team to four players who earned roster spots for the team's inaugural season in the United Soccer Leagues' First Division.

"We're sitting in a hotbed of soccer with the ACC and with how many different internationals come to the area," said Schweitzer, whose expansion squad reached the playoffs in 2007. "As far as we're concerned, we have a few positions we want to fill, but when we come here, we're looking for best players. We're not looking to fill those positions [with the tryouts], but if it happens, that's fantastic."

The RailHawks had two fields going and kept the players rotating so Schweitzer and his assistants could see all of them. Tryouts continue today, and Schweitzer will take a closer look at the players he liked.

When Schweitzer's tryouts wrapped up, Jay Howell took the field to look for more players for his RailHawks women's team, which will begin play mid-May in the W-League. None of the players will be getting paid -- the W-League is usually a mix of professional players and college players who are not paid and can keep their college eligibility.

Howell has 14 commitments and hopes to have roughly 22 players by February.

Anna Rodenbough, one of North Carolina's goalkeepers, already has committed to play for the RailHawks women. She and a number of other players already committed turned up for the tryouts to help Howell.

Millbrook senior Casey Godwin, who will play at UNC-Greensboro in the fall, said she wanted to test her skills.

"It's a just good opportunity," she said. "This is the first year they've done it with girls, and I just wanted to come see how I could do."

Howell has been getting inquiries from pros, college athletes and moms who want to get back into the game.

RailHawks president and general manager Chris Economides said he was more eager to watch the women's tryouts than the men's. Raleigh previously had a successful W-League team in the Raleigh Wings, which won league titles in 1998 and 1999. The short-lived Carolina Courage also thrived in the Triangle, winning the WUSA title in 2002, before the league folded.

"With the girls, we're where we were last year," Economides said. "This is brand new, it's a new horizon for us. ... We're very excited. This is a great community in terms of supporting women's soccer here. We're very proud and pleased to bring it back."