Sports and action photography leaves no time to adjust settings mid-play, so the camera needs to be ready for fast, unpredictable movement before the action starts.
A fast shutter speed and continuous autofocus with tracking need to be set before the game or event begins — working these out during a key play means missing it entirely. Knowing the sport well enough to predict where the action will move next is just as valuable as any camera setting, since it lets you position yourself ahead of the moment instead of chasing it.
A long, fast lens is usually necessary for anything you can't get physically close to, and knowing the venue's rules on where photographers can stand avoids finding out mid-event that your planned position isn't allowed. Burst shooting mode should be on and buffer/card space checked beforehand too — running out of buffer during the one sequence that mattered is a completely avoidable failure.
None of this replaces reading the game itself, but a quick pre-event checklist — settings, positioning, gear, card space — means the only thing left to react to is the actual action.
A few things to plan for