Zone
Staying In your zone is a smiple technique that helps getting a great action shot
if you forcus your camra on a sertain place (your zone) when action passes trough
you smiply take the photo making it easier to capture

Focus
Its to hard to do manual on an action photo. Dont even bother trying.
Manual is the simplest. You can get the photo in great focus.

Shutter Speed
You want a high shutter speed to capture still action. A low shutter speed is for light.
you will get just ennough depending on your surroundings. if you want some what of a blur but a GOOD blur you put it on a low shutter speen and Pan.

Panning
Panning is when you place the shutter speed low. When doing that with action you must follow it at the same speen the action is moving to capture it. this will give you a good blur.