Editor's note: This story also appears in today's Foothill's section. For the first time in 10 years, former UA basketball star Sean Elliott was unable to attend his summer charity golf tournament for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson. Elliott, who played for the University of Arizona during the late 1980s and went on to play 12 years in the NBA, mostly for the San Antonio Spurs, hosts a golf tournament each year to raise money for the Boys & Girls Clubs. He has been the main attraction of the Circle K Sean Elliott Charity Golf Classic for the last nine years, but this year he wasn't able to attend, said Sue Brooks, president of Marathon MVP West, a firm that helps put on the event each year. He generally takes time to play at least one hole with each foursome during the tournament, Brooks said, but Elliott was unable to catch a flight from Texas before this year's event - held last Friday - got under way. Usually one hole is designated "Sean's Hole," said Elizabeth Bollinger, director of development for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson. On that hole, Elliott tees off with every foursome and then poses for a picture with each group of players, Bollinger said. Brooks said Elliott couldn't find his identification and missed his early-morning flight to Tucson. She said Elliott made it to Tucson later that day, in time for another Boys & Girls Clubs event, the Sean Elliott Steak and Burger Dinner at the Tucson Convention Center on Saturday. The event celebrates the Boy and Girl of the Year from each of the local clubhouses. "At the end of the day, at least he's not letting the kids down," Brooks said. Elliott learned to play basketball at the Steve Daru Clubhouse, 1375 N. El Rio Drive, said Kym Pleger, assistant development director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson, and he gives back to the nonprofit organization by helping to bring in donations. "He really credits the club with helping give him a place to go with positive role models," Pleger said. Elliott started the two charity events to help ensure other kids can also have positive experiences. "He wanted to give back to the community and credits the club for helping him become the man he is today," Pleger said. Armando Rios, a member of the local Boys & Girls Clubs board of directors, met Elliott at the Steve Daru Clubhouse when they were both kids. He said Elliott just wants to help kids experience the positive things he did in the club. "The time spent at the clubhouse helps kids stay out of trouble," Rios said. "It saves people's lives - I don't think there's any other words to describe it. "He obviously has a very soft spot in his heart for the club," Rios said. Paul Rodriguez, retail operations manager for Circle K, said the golf tournament has earned $300,000 for the local Boys & Girls Clubs over the past nine years. He said he expected this year's tournament would generate between $25,000 and $30,000. This year, 108 players on corporate-sponsored teams turned out to play at The Golf Club at Vistoso, 955 W. Vistoso Highlands Drive, in Oro Valley.