Automating My Coaching Life with n8n

3 min read
n8n coaching soccer workflow automation
n8n Automation Workflow

Automating My Coaching Life with n8n

As a coach and proud dad, I’m always trying to find ways to make my life easier and keep things organized. That’s where n8n comes in! I discovered this amazing tool for automation, and let me tell you, it has transformed how I handle my daily tasks.

What is n8n?

n8n is an open-source workflow automation tool that allows you to connect various apps and services to automate repetitive tasks. It’s designed to be user-friendly, so even if you’re not super tech-savvy, you can get the hang of it pretty quickly.

Introduction to n8n Nodes

Before we jump into my soccer practice plan workflow, let me explain what a “node” is in n8n. Think of nodes as the building blocks of your automation. Each node represents a single action or service, allowing you to connect various apps like Google Calendar, OpenAI, and your email provider. By linking these nodes together, you can create workflows that help manage tasks seamlessly and make your life easier.

Personal Automation Ideas

If you’re curious about what you can automate in your life, here are some ideas to consider:

  1. Automating Daily Reminders: Set up a workflow to send you reminders for important tasks, appointments, or personal goals through email or SMS.

  2. Budget Tracking: Use n8n to pull data from your bank or financial apps into a central spreadsheet to keep track of your expenses and monitor your budget.

  3. Event Coordination: Automatically collect RSVPs from a form and consolidate them into a Google Sheet, making it easier to plan events or gatherings.

My Soccer Practice Plan Workflow

As a soccer coach, keeping track of practice schedules can be a bit hectic for me. I set up a cool workflow in n8n that completely changed how I plan practices for my son’s U12 soccer team.

  1. Trigger: The workflow kicks off at a specific time each week, like every Sunday evening. This way, I’m always ready for the week ahead.

  2. Check Google Calendar: The first node uses the Google Calendar connection to see if I have any practices scheduled for the week. It grabs all the important details, like the date, time, and location.

  3. Fetch Player Information: Next, I pull in a list of players from a Google Sheet. This helps me customize the practice plan based on who will be there and their skill levels.

  4. Generate Practice Plan: Using the OpenAI node, I create a tailored practice plan. I enter a few details, like player skills and what I want to work on, to make sure it fits the team’s needs.

  5. Create Practice Summary: Once the plan is generated, it wraps everything up into a summary that includes drills, durations, and any notes.

  6. Send to Email: The final step sends me an email with this summary, so I can check it out and make any last-minute tweaks before practice.

  7. Notifications: I also set up an extra feature that sends out reminders to players or parents through email or SMS about the upcoming practice, keeping everyone in the loop.

This whole process is a game changer for me! With n8n, I can save time and focus more on coaching.

Conclusion

n8n has provided me with the tools to effectively automate various aspects of my personal and coaching life. It not only helps save time but also empowers me to focus on what I love—coaching and spending quality time with my family.

If you’re interested in exploring the world of personal automation, I highly encourage you to check out n8n and see how it can transform your daily life. You can try it for yourself here and unlock the potential of automation today!