Often, students in a program can offer significant insight on the quality and impact of the teacher education program. The purpose of this abstract is to present students' perspectives on the extent that various components of the physical education teacher education program, enhanced and/or inhibited their ability to become effective physical education teachers. The qualitative paradigm supporting this study is from an interpretive perspective, using symbolic interactionism as a means of understanding experiences of participants in this study. It is through this lens, that we will attempt to understand how participants in this study perceive, understand, and interpret their experiences in their pre-service education program. Data were gathered using a content analysis of program goals, course syllabi, assignments, and other materials disseminated to students. Two in-depth interviews were conducted with each of seven students who had just completed their masters level pre-service teacher education program. Interviews were conducted by an independent researcher, with no connection to the program or the students in the program. Interview questions were designed to address the program goals identified by faculty and couched within the CT&L framework. All tapes were transcribed verbatim. Constant comparative methods were utilized to analyze the data, and trustworthiness was addressed through the use of member checks for all interview data, peer debriefing, and triangulation of multiple data sets across time. Pseudonyms were used to identify all participants. Findings from this study are couched in Framework for Contextual Teaching and Learning in Preservice Education (Sears & Hersh, 1999). Findings indicated that students had an overall positive reaction to the physical education teacher education program, and felt the program enhanced their ability to become effective physical education teachers. The primary enhancer was the field-based component and the alignment of university coursework with the field placements. This alignment authenticated class assignments, as they were applied in the context of the elementary or secondary classroom setting. The primary barrier was the high expectation level of the program, couples with the limited time students had to complete assignments in a quality manner. By the end of the year-long program, students were tired, and beginning to feel effects of burnout. However, these same students were able to demonstrate quality teacher performance and utilize contextual teaching and learning strategies to better understand their context, present materials in an appropriate manner, and assess the achievement levels of students in the context of their sites.