Ashley Jackson's rise to the pinnacle of his profession was shaped by the first big decision of his career.

Or rather by his father's decision.

As a teenager with immense talent, the Tunbridge Wells-based Jackson chose East Grinstead as the club to cut his teeth with and it is a decision he has never regretted.

Ten years on, the 24-year-old goes into the London Games as the jewel in the crown of Great Britain's men's hockey team, a player upon whom so many hopes rest.

In football terms, he is our Iniesta, Pirlo or Osil.

In hockey terms, he is Ashley Jackson - the finest hockey talent this country has produced for a while, the FIH World Young Player of the Year in 2009, the first Englishman to win that award, a player who has already tasted hockey in Holland and who featured at the Beijing Olympics at 20, a rarity in hockey in that he appeared on A Question of Sport.

Jackson was always destined for big things but learning his trade at East Grinstead - a club which he is now back with after a spell in Holland with HGC - helped him realise that potential.

Particularly, the influence of Kwan Browne - his first player-coach at Saint Hill - rubbed off on an emerging Jackson.

He said: “East Grinstead has been important to me, especially the younger years from 14 to 18 because that is where I learnt my trade.

“I am very happy to represent East Grinstead whenever that may be and whatever they need me for.

“Kwan was there for my first couple of years at East Grinstead. The style of hockey that he played, the way he played the game was a big influence on what I took on and wanted to achieve.

“Canterbury was probably equally as far in the other direction from where I was and at the time they were a Premier League club so it would have been very easy to go that route rather than a division two side as East Grinstead were at the time. That was a decision my father took upon himself and he made the right one.”

Jackson is not the easiest of characters to fathom for some people. He has a guarded yet confident nature which has wrongly been translated as arrogance.

He is not that but he knows what he wants to achieve in the game and knows he has the ability to make his dreams come true.

Having interviewed him a number of times from when he was affectively a kid breaking into the East Grinstead team, I know he is someone who would rather let his hockey do the talking but he will give you his time and, if you scratch beyond the surface, you will find someone who cares deeply about those closest to him, be it his family, friends or team-mates.

On his hockey stick he has the names of many such people written. Jackson explained: “There are a few things written on my stick which hopefully when times get tough you get a quick glimpse of those names and faces and it puts you in a better place.

“It can bring you back down to earth and makes you realise what you are doing, as great as it is, is all a bit of fun.

“It is hard to say what it would mean to win a medal. It is probably mean a lot to the loved ones and close ones I have, and to share it with them would be the most special thing. That goes for the squad as well, we are all family and friends. We are all that close and to share it with them would be special.”

Jackson is typically careful with his words when it comes to Great Britain's chances.

He knows the squad are in the best possible shape going into the Games but does not want expectation to get out of hand.

“We are ranked fourth in the world. Realistically that means we should finish fourth but we believe we have a better squad than we have ever had and a better chance to win medals than we have ever had,” he said.

“Going into Beijing we were ranked ninth in the world and finished fifth so that was a pretty successful tournament. Since then we have risen to fourth over the course of the last four years. Results speak for themselves.”

Aside from captain and Grinstead team-mate Barry Middleton, Jackson was the player journalists wanted to speak to more than any other at a pre-Olympics media day.

He played a straight bat until being called back for one final interview. What are you most looking forward to, he was asked. “Hopefully standing on the podium at the end of it,” he replied.

It was a rare moment of expressing his inner feelings and at the same time nice.

And, do you know, he could well be standing on that podium at the end of the Games and everyone connected with East Grinstead would be so proud.

FACTFILE

• Age: 24.
• Club: East Grinstead.
• Position: Midfield/forward.
• England caps/goals: 71/49.
• GB caps/goals: 62/26.
• Olympic history: 2008.