Achievement goal theory has been widely used to explain student motivation and behavior in physical activity. Achievement goals and perceived motivational climate are two constructs central to this theory. Achievement goals can be contrasted as task- and ego-involved goals. Task-involved goals focus on learning and task mastery while ego-involved goals concentrate on outperforming others. Perceived motivational climate refers to student perceptions of achievement goals addressed by instructors in learning environments. Students perceive the learning environment as a task- or ego-involved climate. Research demonstrates that achievement goals are associated with a variety of motivational outcomes such as intrinsic motivation, satisfaction and persistence in both the academic and physical activity domains. But research evidence suggests that these relations may be mediated by perceived motivational climate. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to use structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine if the relationships between achievement goals and students’ satisfaction with physical activity were mediated by their perceived motivational climate. Participants included 304 students (136 males, 168 females) who were enrolled in university activity classes. They completed questionnaires assessing their achievement goals, perceived motivational climate, and satisfaction with physical activity. All measures were adapted from published instruments with demonstrated validity and reliability (Duda, 1992; Newton, Dada & Yin, 2000). Results indicated an adequate fit between the model and the data. Ego-involved goals were related positively to perceptions of an ego-involved climate but did not have direct and indirect effects on satisfaction. Task-involved goals were related positively to perceptions of a task-involved climate. They also had both a direct positive effect on satisfaction and an indirect effect mediated through perceptions of a task-involved climate. The finding that perceptions of a task-involved climate mediated the effect of task-involved goals on satisfaction in this study provides partial support for the notion that perceived motivational climate may mediate the relationships between achievement goals and motivational outcomes. It also has an implication for practice. That is, to maximize the beneficial effects of task-involved goals on student motivation and behavior in physical activity, instructors should not only encourage students to endorse task-involved goals, but also construct a task-involved climate in their learning environments. Suggested instructional practices and strategies might include: presenting a variety of learning activities in interesting, novel, and meaningful ways, involving students in decision making, recognizing individual accomplishments, evaluating students on mastery and skill development rather than on ability, and emphasizing cooperation among students.Keyword(s): college level issues, physical activity