I am the owner of an action sports photography company based out of Tampa FL. 99% of the time as an action sports photographer, the auto focus is your friend. There is absolutely no way that a human can accurately use manual focus to capture anything high speed. UNLESS, you pre-focus on a certain area of the field, court, etc. For example, when I shoot indoor volleyball I will focus on the net or a area and wait for the play to devlop where I want it to. This is very trick/difficult but it yields some great shots when you get it right. Another time that I use manual focus is for candid dugout shots. A lot of kids lean against the fence in the dugout. If you use AF, the shots will get the fence in focus and not their faces. I usually switch to MF, and adjust.
Tampa ACTION Photography - Professional Action & Team Sports Photographer in Tampa, FL,
Tampa ACTION Photography - Professional Action & Team Sports Photographer in Tampa, FL,
Tampa Pet Photography - Professional Dog, Cat, & Horse Photographer for Hire in Florida