Thanks for the lesson.....but, my degree is in Portrait/Commercial Photography. And I'll change my comment just for you.😉
"Most" sports photos by mortals need flash indoors.
The OP, I'm sure isn't a SI photog with unlimited resources.
The hockey shot, while nice, is done with a $5k camera and a $2K lens in a controlled "studio" setting. Meaning lights, actors, cameras and I'm sure, hundreds of takes. And let's not forget the $9k F2.8 300 mm lenses for the football games.:eek:
So are todays cameras capable? Yes. Is the average person (or even an above average) in the stands with a flash at a HS/MS game holding $7k worth of equipment in his/her hands? Doubt it.
When I shoot a game, I want as much pure light as possible. Every gym is different (mercury, sodium vapor, flourescent, etc.) so I "bounce" a white lightning off the ceilings. No harsh light, no flat flash effect, the whole gym is lit, no funny colors that I have to sit and photoshop all night long and the color is rich.....and NO ONE is even aware a flash is going off..