Where to See Olympics Tryouts in American Cities MOST fans of the Olympic Games will be consigned to watch from their living room sofas or follow along on their office computers as the 2012 Summer Games in London begin this July. But even if you can't spare the time or money to make the trip overseas, there are other ways to experience the rush of patriotism and physical virtuosity. Before the Games begin, each sport in the program goes through a qualification stage to establish the final field of competitors from the United States. Many of these competitions will take place in the following weeks. And even better, many will take place relatively nearby, each with plenty to offer visitors once the final whistles are blown as the last athletes cross the finish line. Here are a few coming up. SOCCER March 22 to April 2 Nashville and Kansas City, Kan. Though the American women rollicked through their qualifying tournament in January, outscoring opponents by 38-0 over five games, the men will face stiffer competition in their quest to reach England, where the game as we know it today was standardized in the 19th century as football. WHOM TO WATCH The Olympics showcase emerging talent, and Juan Agudelo, a 19-year-old striker born in Colombia and raised in New Jersey, possessing a precocious mixture of power and technique, is the brightest young star on the United States team. Agudelo, who has played professionally in New York since 2010, was invited to train this winter with Liverpool, one of the most famous clubs in the world. WHAT TO DO The Concacaf, qualifying tournament begins at LP Field in Nashville. Before a game, you can fill up on meat-and-three standards served communal style at Monell's, a no-frills restaurant in a 19th-century brick home. After the final whistle, a five-minute cab ride back across the Cumberland River takes you to Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, a rowdy honky-tonk on Broadway beloved by locals. The competition moves to Kansas City for the semifinal round, with the top two countries qualifying for the 2012 Games. Though it's less than a quarter of the capacity of Wembley Stadium in London, Livestrong Sporting Park, a beautiful European-style stadium opened in 2011, is a worthwhile pilgrimage destination for hard-core American soccer fans. Information: ussoccer.com For Americans, track and field can seem to disappear for three years before re-emerging at the Olympic Games. The star four years ago was Usain Bolt of Jamaica. But the United States, as a team, dominated across the board, winning a total of 23 medals, 7 of them gold, to lead the international field. WHOM TO WATCH Allyson Felix won silver medals in the 200-meter race in the 2004 and 2008 Games. She has added the 400-meter to her repertory since then, recording the fastest time last year at the United States championships and winning the silver at the world championships a couple of months later. At 26, she is in her prime and is a favorite to steal the spotlight in London. WHAT TO DO The University of Oregon and its sports teams are a major presence in Eugene, the birthplace of Nike, and the spirit of competition thrives in an otherwise chilled-out community. By June, the Saturday Market, a weekly outdoor handicraft and farmers" marketplace, draws thousands of people downtown for a full day of shopping and eating. The market, which opened in 1970, features hundreds of licensed vendors, a wide variety of international food options - and plenty of space for drum circles. Information: tracktown12.gotracktownusa.com SWIMMING June 25 to July 2 Omaha Swimming grabbed the country's attention during Michael Phelps's eight-gold run in Beijing, but other Americans have continued since then to excel. WHOM TO WATCH Ryan Lochte, 27, and Rebecca Soni, 25, were each named World Swimmer of the Year in 2010 and 2011, making it the first time since 1990 that Americans received both the men's and women's awards in consecutive years. Lochte, Phelps's longtime foil, won six medals at the world championships in Shanghai last July, signaling his intention to challenge Phelps, who is aiming for an all-time medals record in London. Soni flashed her potential in 2008, winning a gold and two silvers, and seems primed for a breakthrough this summer. WHAT TO DO The trials are at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha's revitalized North Downtown neighborhood. Slowdown, an indie-rock club, helped anchor the area's upturn after opening in 2007 and has become the best place to see and hear live music in the city. Fans of baseball - which along with softball was bumped from the coming Summer Games - can see a game in the College World Series, held nearby at TD Ameritrade Park. Information: usaswimming.org GYMNASTICS June 28 to July 1 San Jose, Calif. The United States in 2008 fell short of the dominant performance of China, which won 18 total medals in this sport, versus the Americans" 10. But the United States has entered this Olympic year with an encouraging amount of depth in its talent, raising expectations. WHOM TO WATCH Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson, who sparkled in Beijing while taking the women's gold and silver in the individual all-around competition, are in the mix again. But the gymnast generating buzz now is Jordyn Wieber, 16, who capped a whirlwind 2011 season with a gold medal in the all-around competition last October at the world championships in Tokyo. WHAT TO DO San Jose, the capital of Silicon Valley, includes the Tech Museum, with its many large, interactive exhibits making it one of the city's most popular attractions. If you have a car, nearby Saratoga has many acclaimed wineries, like the pinot noir specialist Savannah-Chanelle. And if you prefer to move on foot, stroll through the shops in Japantown, then wait patiently for a table at Gombei, a beloved bustling restaurant serving home-style Japanese food. Information: usagym.org/pages/events/trials. TENNIS July 9 to 15 Newport, R.I. Olympic tennis received a boost when results from the Games started to count toward the year-end professional rankings, and Beijing represented a new high point, with all the best men's and women's players. But even though there's been something of a renaissance within the game - helped by frequent epic battles among a crop of charismatic singles players - it has largely excluded Americans. WHOM TO WATCH The United States will be a serious contender in doubles, thanks to the ongoing brilliance of a couple of sibling pairs. While the world-famous Williams sisters - Venus, 31, and Serena, 30 - plan to defend their gold medals from the 2004 and 2008 Games, another set of twins is also vying for first place. Bob and Mike Bryan, 33-year-old identical twins who form the top-ranked men's pair in the world, will try to improve on their bronze medals from Beijing. The Newport event, called the Campbell's Hall of Fame Championships, will be the last time the brothers will compete before London. WHAT TO DO The Bryan brothers have already committed to play this grass-court event, held on the grounds of the International Tennis Hall of Fame and Museum in Newport, with the tournament's timing and playing surface making it the ideal precursor for the London Games. The museum itself holds more than 16,000 objects charting the evolution of the game. Take a short walk from there to the busy waterfront and treat yourself to one of the inventive cocktails at Fluke, whose upstairs bar affords a fantastic view of the harbor. Information: tennisfame.com/atp-tournament.