This study attempted to explain students' perception and behavior, during a sport education (SE) season, based on the need-satisfaction mechanism underlying Optimal Distinctiveness Theory (ODT; Brewer, 1991, 1993) and Self determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985, 1991). Team affiliation is one of the most important features of and a necessary condition for personal growth, which is crucial for achieving goals in SE (Siedentop, 1995, 1998). The purpose of this study was (a) to examine students' skill acquisition and cognitive learning in affiliated and non-affiliated groups, (b) to compare the nature of group behaviors and experience in affiliated and non-affiliated, and (c) to investigate the factors contributing to group cohesion such as relatedness and personal and group distinctiveness. College students (N = 49) enrolled in a bowling class participated in this study. They were randomly assigned into affiliated and non-affiliated groups. The affiliated groups had two teams each and the teams remained the same during whole class sessions, whereas in each non-affiliated there were also two teams, but in every class sessions the students bowled with different teammates each class. Student journals, bowling scores, and written test scores provided data for qualitative and quantitative analyses. Journal responses were analyzed by Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR; Hill, Thompson, & William, 1997). Skill acquisition and cognitive learning in bowling were compared by using one-way ANOVA. Based on previous experience both groups of students expressed consensual understandings about the potential benefits and risks involved when working in groups. More responses from affiliated classes were categorized as factors contributing to feeling related yet distinct (i.e., supportive of others, positive to individual contributions in the group). Even during a short, five week period, a growing feeling of cohesion was developing in the affiliated classes. To achieve a team victory they chose altruistic strategies in group behaviors. The prior concerns about one other's fulfillment of responsibility in working in a group didn't arise at the end of class. Significant differences (p<.05) were found favoring the affiliated group in the gain scores from written test. However, there was no significant difference in the gain scores of bowling skill. Further investigation is needed for more complex games, team sports played over a longer period of time, to more fully examine the relationship between learning and affiliated status. Keyword(s): college level issues, curriculum