Built on Grit. Fueled by Joy.
Alex, known by his players as Coach Alex, co-founded Nightmare Fastpitch in the fall of 2023 alongside his wife, Melissa. With a deep lifelong love for playing and coaching the game, he was passionate about teaching the fundamentals, instilling confidence, and creating a positive environment where athletes could grow and thrive. His legacy lives on through the values and vision that continue to guide the organization today.
Nightmare is a competitive travel fastpitch program founded by Melissa and Alex Gliddon in the fall of 2023. Following Alex’s passing in November 2024, Melissa chose to carry on the program in his honor. The love of the game that brought them together now serves as the foundation for sharing that passion with the next generation of athletes. Nightmare fosters a culture of family, emphasizing skill development, character building, teamwork, and mental performance. The program is dedicated to helping young athletes grow both on and off the field, with the ultimate goal of preparing them to achieve their dreams of playing at the next level.
Melissa, also known as Coach Bill, founded Nightmare Fastpitch in the fall of 2023 alongside her late husband, Coach Alex. With over 17 years of playing experience and more than 3 years of coaching experience, she is passionate about building an organization focused on developing young female athletes both on and off the field.
More Than a Team
Nightmare Fastpitch is about developing young female athletes on and off the field. Yes, we train skills, mechanics, and game IQ — but we also care just as much about confidence, character, and the kind of woman your athlete becomes.
Our goal is for girls to love the game again. Softball can get heavy fast, and it’s easy to fall out of love with it. We create an environment where athletes are coached, challenged, supported, and valued — where growth is the standard and joy is still part of the process.
We also build versatility. We prepare athletes to handle pressure, adjust quickly, and respond to whatever the game throws at them — because life will do the same. If our players leave Nightmare as stronger athletes and even stronger young women, we’ve done our job.
FOE: Family Over Everything
FOE isn’t just a slogan — it’s the way we do things.
When you join West Georgia Nightmare, you’re joining a family. These girls become sisters on and off the field. They don’t have to be best friends, but they will be cordial, respectful, and unified. We teach them to work through hard moments, communicate, and show up for each other.
We also treat every family like our own. Our goal is that every athlete and parent feels welcomed, included, and supported — never outcasted. We’re building something bigger than softball here: a community where families belong and kids are seen.
That’s FOE. Family Over Everything.
Where We Started — Where We’re Going
I never planned to coach.
When my college softball career ended, I fell out of love with the game because of a tough coach relationship experience. For a while, softball didn’t feel like “mine” anymore. But after graduation, I found slow-pitch — and with it, the kind of community I didn’t know I needed. That sport brought me back to loving softball, and it also brought me to Alex.
Alex and I met through that softball community after I moved for work. It was an instant connection — and it’s no exaggeration to say I fell in love with him through the game I’ve always loved. We played constantly, built friendships, and created a life around it.
As Alex’s medical condition progressed, life changed quickly. He wasn’t able to work or play like he used to, finances got tight, and I started giving private lessons at D-BAT in Augusta while I was working at the nuclear power plant. I fell in love with teaching the game — and I was blessed to build something successful there.
When I later got a work-from-home job and moved back home, I missed coaching — and Alex encouraged me to start again. One of my first clients was my cousin, and she pushed me to start a team. I told her no way — I didn’t think I could juggle it. But as lessons grew and more families encouraged me, I took the leap.
That first year, I coached completely free because I wasn’t even sure I’d stick with it. Coaching isn’t for the faint of heart — there were tears, anxiety, stress, and a lot of learning curves. But the relationships with the athletes and the parents who believed in the vision changed everything.
And it grew fast.
Year two became three teams. Going into year three, we became five. Now we’re building something even bigger: more teams, more coaches, mentorship and development for our staff, a true recruitment pipeline, and a facility that gives our athletes a home.
Our mission stays the same: grow the game in this community and create a big-time organization feel — with small-town heart and an affordable approach families can actually sustain.