Geelong cricket trailblazer Jan Harris-Nowicki dies

All local cricketers will wear black arm bands this weekend to honour the first woman to be named a life member of the Geelong Cricket Association. Read the tributes.

The late Jan Nowicki with Robert Agg and Kevin O’Dowd, when she received GCA life membership in 2009.

Local cricketers will be asked to wear black arm bands this weekend to honour the passing of a true trailblazer of Geelong cricket.

The Geelong Cricket Association’s inaugural female life member Jan Harris-Nowicki died earlier this week.

She was the first female in the association’s then 113-year history to be awarded life membership in 2009 – after 11 consecutive seasons serving the GCA – and the first to climb into management committee ranks.

In a social media post, the Newcomb and District Cricket Club paid tribute on Tuesday to “one of our greats”.

“We send our condolences to her husband Peter, her children and grandchildren, many of whom have been involved with the club over the years, as well as everyone in her extended family,” the club said.

“Clubs don’t function without people like Jan and the hard work she has put into the Dinos as well as the GCA over the years sees her as a life member of both organisations.

“The best player in ‘div three’ is named after her.

Jan Nowicki was a trailblazer for women in Geelong cricket.

“As a mark of respect, all players and supporters are asked to wear black armbands on Saturday.”

The Jan Nowicki Medal is awarded to the best performing GCA division three player each summer with Thomson’s Seb Dew winning it in 2024-25 with 13 votes.

Nowicki was part of a four-member fact finding mission, along with Dew’s father Grant, to the national country championships in Albury in 2012 in a bid to host the event in the future.

Dew told this masthead that Nowicki was simply a great person and he cherished a conversation he had with her at the end of last summer after being awarded a GCA life membership of his own.

“She was secretary when I became GCA president ... we worked very closely (together), she was somebody who just loved the game,” Dew said.

“She would always do what she could to support clubs in Geelong, it didn’t matter what club it was, she was a strong advocate.

“Always trying to make things easier for clubs ... and to try and help.

“She is revered at (Newcomb) and certainly by me and my family and in GCA circles, she was amazing to work with.

Geelong cricketer Grant Dew worked alongside Jan Nowicki during his days as GCA president. Facebook.

“I was very humbled that Sebastian actually received (the award) from Jan and she was there to see me awarded my life membership, we had a great conversation that night.

“It was lovely she was there seeing we’d worked so closely together.”

In March, 2009, GCA spokesman Kevin O’Dowd said Nowicki had been an invaluable contributor, responsible for a “staggering” 37 clubs, 115 teams and more than 1860 players under the GCA’s flagship at the time.

In a statement this week, the GCA said Nowicki had been a long-time association secretary, a highly-respected administrator and advocate for local cricket.

“Her presence at GCA games and functions will be sorely missed,” the association said.

“To honour the memory of Jan, players are encouraged to wear black armbands for matches on Saturday and Sunday.”

Originally published as Geelong cricket trailblazer Jan Harris-Nowicki dies