Sport Shooting Technique: Zone Focusing
The concept of zone focusing is commonly used in street photography whereby the photographer sets his DOF (depth of field) for a specific area and waits for the subject to enter the frame. This technique is also used in sports photography and can help you position yourself to capture the action when it hits.

You will need to shoot in manual or AP (aperture priority) mode. Estimate the number of feet from the camera that you expect the subject to be and then use the smallest aperture available for that distance. You may need to experiment to find the correct setting, but keep in mind that this technique is designed to position the photographer to be ready to capture the action when it happens; the images may not be tack-sharp but will be reasonably sharp because the goal here is to be ready for the event when it happens.