The Drive to Get Better 
 

Early morning lifts. Extra shots after practice. Another day of finding a way to get better. 

For Rylan Earl '22, those habits were strengthened on the soccer fields at St. Xavier, followed him to Miami University and now continue into his career in commercial real estate at CBRE. The field has changed, but the mindset hasn't. 

The lessons Earl learned through soccer at St. X, and later as a leader within Miami's club soccer program, taught him how to lead, hold himself accountable and approach each day with a desire to improve. Long before he was analyzing commercial real estate, however, Earl was a kid growing up in the West Clermont area who fell in love with soccer at an early age. 

"I kind of fell in love with it from the first touch and started when I was maybe four or five years old," Earl said. "I really enjoyed soccer, the dynamics of 11 versus 11, using your feet and running." 

Growing up, Earl played multiple sports, including football and basketball, but soccer continued to stand out. His parents also played an important role in shaping the way he approached sports and life. 

From an early age, they emphasized two things: work hard and stay humble. They taught him to respect everyone, whether it was an opponent, teammate, coworker or friend. 

Earl learned that lesson firsthand as a child after celebrating a goal a little too enthusiastically. 

"The biggest thing my parents instilled in me was to always work hard," Earl said. "Whatever you do, give it your all. Give it 100 percent. Leave the day knowing you left everything out there. I still remember when I was a kid, I celebrated too much after a goal. My dad came over to our bench, pulled me out of the game and said, 'Never celebrate like that. Be proud of yourself, but don't be boastful. Always stay humble.'" 

Those lessons stayed with Earl as he began looking for a high school. 

After attending Immaculate Heart of Mary and growing up in a Catholic environment, Earl wanted a school that would challenge him academically while reinforcing the values he had learned at home. He considered McNicholas, St. Xavier and Summit Country Day before ultimately choosing St. X. 

But his transition wasn't immediate. 

Many of Earl's new classmates already had family connections to the Long Blue Line. On his first day of summer study skills, he remembers being asked to stand if someone in his family had attended St. Xavier. Nearly the entire room stood. 

Earl remained seated. 

Coming from the East Side, he entered St. Xavier without many of the connections others already had. He was trying to meet new people, find his place at a new school and adjust to a different environment. He also continued playing club soccer instead of joining the St. Xavier program as a freshman. 

By his sophomore year, that began to change. 

"I actually didn't play for St. X my freshman year," Earl said. "I ended up playing from my sophomore through senior year, and not playing my freshman year made me feel like I was kind of behind. It wasn't really until my sophomore year that I started to feel at home at St. X, especially through the soccer community." 

Joining the soccer program gave Earl more than another opportunity to play the game he loved. It helped him become immersed in the school and better understand the brotherhood and "Men for Others" mentality that defined his St. Xavier experience. 

"Playing a sport for St. X and really immersing myself in that Men for Others mentality helped me understand the brotherhood," Earl said. "That was a big part of St. X." 

That brotherhood carried onto the soccer field, where Earl learned the importance of accountability. 

Regardless of someone's role, everyone was expected to contribute. Teammates pushed one another because they shared the same goal of making the team better. 

"Everyone made a direct effort to keep each other accountable because we wanted to win and wanted to be better together," Earl said. "Everyone had a role, and if you weren't fulfilling that role, people got on you and encouraged you to be better." 

By his senior year, Earl's teammates trusted him with an even greater responsibility when they voted him a team captain. 

The honor came with challenges. St. Xavier didn't get off to the start it wanted that season, forcing Earl and the other captains to help keep the group together while setting the standard each day. 

"I felt honored that my teammates entrusted me with that and voted me in," Earl said. "It puts a little more weight on your shoulders every practice and every game. You have to set the standard." 

The experience also taught Earl that leadership wasn't always about having the loudest voice. Sometimes, the best way to lead was simply to show others what the standard looked like. 

"The beginning of our senior season was not the start we wanted," Earl said. "Everyone looks toward the captains for answers, direction and attitude. It was challenging, but it definitely taught me how to lead by example." 

Those lessons followed Earl to Miami University. 

When he arrived in Oxford, Earl wasn't sure soccer would continue to be part of his life. He wanted to study business, explore different opportunities and experience college without having his entire schedule revolve around a sport. 

Then, shortly before classes began, Miami club soccer president Noah Gelman reached out and asked Earl if he wanted to kick around before tryouts. 

Earl brought his cleats. 

What began as a simple opportunity to keep playing turned into a four-year experience that became an important part of his time at Miami. 

Club soccer offered Earl the balance he was looking for. He could continue competing in a sport he loved while still having the freedom to explore other aspects of college life. 

That freedom also brought responsibility. 

Unlike high school soccer, there wasn't a coaching staff constantly holding players accountable. The program was student-run, meaning the players themselves were responsible for showing up, competing and maintaining the standards of the team. 

By his sophomore year, Earl became the team's recruitment chairman, helping run tryouts and identify players who could strengthen the program. He enjoyed the opportunity to meet new people and help determine who would become part of the team. 

By his senior year, he had become vice president. 

His responsibilities now extended far beyond the field. Earl helped organize practices, manage lineups, coordinate travel and navigate difficult conversations with teammates. 

With approximately 32 players in the program, he also learned that leadership required understanding that everyone had responsibilities outside of soccer. Some teammates were involved in business organizations, fraternities or other activities. Others were balancing demanding classes, family responsibilities and social commitments. 

"I think the biggest thing I learned was finding my voice and figuring out my leadership style," Earl said. 

At St. Xavier, Earl learned how to lead by example. At Miami, he learned how to lead his peers while understanding that different people required different approaches. 

His role on the executive board also gave him experience managing budgets and resources. 

Miami's club team received limited funding from the university, forcing players to fundraise to help cover travel expenses. With the team qualifying for nationals in each of Earl's four years, those responsibilities became significant. 

Traveling with more than 30 players meant coordinating flights, Airbnb stays, rental cars, gas and other expenses. While it wasn't financial analysis, the experience taught Earl how to manage both people and resources while working within a budget. 

At the same time, Earl was beginning to figure out what he wanted his life after college to look like. 

A finance major at Miami, he initially considered careers in corporate finance, private banking and wealth management. As he learned more about each field, however, he realized they weren't the right fit. 

Commercial real estate was different. 

Earl enjoyed the people he met in the industry, became interested in underwriting and liked the tangible nature of the work. Instead of analyzing numbers connected to a stock or bond, he could look out a window and see the building behind those numbers. 

That interest ultimately led him to CBRE, where he began his professional career in commercial real estate. 

Now, only a few months into the job, Earl is finding that many of the lessons he learned through soccer translate directly into the workplace. 

He shows up early. He looks for ways to help his team. He asks what else needs to be done. Most importantly, he continues searching for ways to improve. 

"I know I can do more," Earl said. "I want to do more. I want to take on more responsibility." 

Soccer didn't directly lead Earl into commercial real estate. Instead, it helped shape the way he approaches whatever challenge is in front of him. 

The work ethic his parents taught him. The accountability he learned at St. Xavier. The leadership gained at Miami. 

Each has followed him into the next stage of his life. 

"That itch to get better that I got from soccer just translates to professional life," Earl said. 

The field may be different now, but Earl's approach remains the same. 

Keep working. Keep learning. Keep getting better.