The "Decisive Moment" - Pushing the shutter when the event is about to take place.
Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3
Figure 1 - Gare St. Lazare, Paris, 1932, Man Jumping a Puddle, shows French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson’s ability to catch the moment in which an event is about to take place. He called this the “decisive moment.” Cartier-Bresson was the first photographer to exhibit at the Louvre museum in Paris, France.
Figure 2 - Golf Swing, H&R Imaging, Inc. 2006, A slower shutter speed blurs the club head and suggests motion.
Figure 3 - Frustration, Bob Gelb Photography, Obviously the receiver didn't make the catch, however the photographer was camera ready and captured the players reaction.
Be patient, if you are shooting with a short lens wait for the action to come to you, anticipate the action, and remember if you see it you missed it.