Birmingham, AL — October 19, 2025 — Change Before the Game, Inc. proudly hosted its inaugural fundraising event, the “3rd & 10 Day Party Mixer,” on Friday, October 17th.
The sports-based nonprofit selected the name “3rd & 10” to represent the third Saturday of the tenth month (October) — a date synonymous with the long-standing rivalry between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Tennessee Volunteers football teams.
The event was hosted by Phaith “DJ Chocolate” Frazier, Founder of Change Before the Game, Inc., alongside special guest host DJ Sterl the Pearl — a former University of Tennessee quarterback and the official DJ and hype man for the school’s athletic programs.
Held on the rooftop of Bar Sebastian, located above Michael’s Restaurant in downtown Birmingham, the event blended community, culture, and cause.
“We want to thank Isreal Williams and the entire staff at Bar Sebastian for welcoming us into their space, which is uniquely connected to the Southern Negro League Baseball Museum — a venue that aligns perfectly with our mission,” said Frazier.
Close to 60 supporters attended the event as board member Malaa McDaniel shared the organization’s goals and encouraged community involvement and donations. The 3rd & 10 Day Party Mixer is expected to become an annual fundraising tradition, with the next event scheduled for October 2026 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The mission of Change Before the Game, Inc. is to empower underserved youth ages 8–18 through sports, education, and life-skills programs that help them pivot toward career paths both on and off the court and field — while connecting them with former college and professional athletes who have successfully transitioned into post-playing careers.
“Not every student-athlete will become a professional athlete, so we want to expose young people to the many other roles that exist within and beyond the world of sports,” said Frazier. “Even those who make it to the next level can benefit from understanding the business and operational sides of athletics.”
Beyond youth development, Change Before the Game, Inc. also seeks to assist families facing financial barriers to sports participation by covering equipment costs, uniforms, and registration fees. Frazier — a state-champion high-school basketball player from Pell City, Alabama, and former college athlete at the University of Montevallo — added:
“We don’t want students to miss out on the lifelong lessons and character-building that come from organized sports just because of financial constraints. Our goal is to ensure every child who wants to play has that opportunity.”
2025 Bragging Rights
Following the Tide’s commanding 37-20 victory over Tennessee on Saturday, October 18th in Tuscaloosa, DJ Chocolate will proudly hold bragging rights over DJ Sterl the Pearl — at least until the next 3rd & 10 event.
Thank You
We want to thank all of our sponsors, attendees, and every donor who felt compelled to support Change Before The Game, Inc. While this in-person fundraising event may be over until October 2026, the opportunity to donate is always open online.
Sponsors of this year’s 3rd & 10 event included Eventful Media Group, Inc., Urbanham.com, Bar Sebastian, DJ Sterl the Pearl, and DJ Pakk of TNT Sound.
For more information on upcoming fundraising events and programs, or to learn how to support Change Before the Game, Inc., please visit www.ChangeBeforeTheGame.org.