Call it softball madness over the weekend.

Travel ball teams from all over Ventura County were hosting tryouts on Saturday and Sunday.

Every team had plenty of players to show their skills, except Bill Padilla was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Not one girl attended his 18-and-under Eagles tryouts at Oxnard College. As one coach explained, the Eagles were an unknown quantity, while the Pumas, Jets and Waves are all well-respected Gold teams seeking players.

Everywhere else it was a frenzy of activity with players attending two or more tryouts the same day, noted several coaches.

Desmond Webster of the 1994 SoCal Blast said parents and players need to find the right fit.

"Position by position you have to find the right team for playing time and financial considerations. You have to look at the caliber of teams and the tournaments they will play," said Webster.

Webster said it was a compliment to lose a pitcher to a Los Angeles area travel team.

Padilla couldn't say the same as his tryout field was empty of players.

"They don't want to practice or just play friendlies. They want to hang out with their boyfriends or work," said Padilla. "We're going to cancel the team."

On the other hand, a ton of 18-and-under Gold teams, 16-and-under and 14-and-under travel teams attracted plenty of talent.

The SoCal Pumas have 18-and-under and 16-and-under Gold teams.

Open tryouts for the Pumas are scheduled again today at 5:15 p.m. at Borchard Park field No. 3 in Newbury Park.

A booking mixup ended the Pumas tryouts before they were done on Sunday.

The Pumas attracted more than 50 players.

"Everybody goes to everyone's tryouts," said Robert Ives of the 18-and-under West Coast Waves of Simi Valley.

"They want to see if your team is better than the one they currently play for," said Ives.

The Waves have commitments for the fall season featuring three showcase tournaments.

Camarillo outfielder Shannon Trefts, Rio Mesa first baseman and catcher Lindsey Flarety, Santa Maria center fielder Mariah Cochiolo, Cabrillo pitcher Alyssa Abayari have signed to play. The Waves will play Oct. 13-14 in the Surf City Showcase in Orange County, the Oct. 20-21 Oktoberfest in Lancaster, and the Nov. 3-4 Batbuster Pre-Thanksgiving Tournament in Orange County.

Ives said there were 11 18-and-under Gold teams offering tryouts within a 30-minute drive over the weekend.

Mike Ramirez of the Anderson Athletics 14-and-under club team was pleased with the tryouts at Camarillo High.

"We had 15 girls and we're done," he said.

"We have seven girls from the California state champion Santa Paula team and we found five more girls," said Ramirez.

There were seven 14-and-under teams holding tryouts and Ramirez said they received calls from parents who wanted to spend 30 minutes for a tryout and then hit another location.

"We told them they need to be here for the full time," said Ramirez.

He said his team will carry 12 players, allowing plenty of playing time.

Ramirez said his team will play in the MVP League at Ventura College starting Sept. 9 and running through Oct. 28.

Rod Helland's SoCal Connexion team found players through the e-teamz Web site and The Star's youth sports sign-ups column.

Mike Best and Denny Adkins formed a team to keep Marmonte League players sharp during the fall season and said the club received six calls. Best said they have 12 girls ready to play friendly tournaments.

More tryouts are slated this weekend. The 14-and-under SoCal Jets with manager Jim DePippo will have tryouts Saturday starting at 9 a.m. at Oaks Christian and again Sept. 8 at 9 a.m. DePippo has been the successful manager of the Westlake Agoura Girls Softball league national championship tournament teams.

The Madness will have 14-and-under tryouts today at Moorpark High at 5:30 p.m.

The Eliminators, a 12-and-under team, will have tryouts Sept. 8 at Rancho Simi Park in Simi Valley from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.