Sports involvement has been reported to have positive effects on young adults especially in reducing deviant behavior (Holland & Andre, 1987; Larson, 1994). This preliminary research will investigate the pattern of sports involvement among selected UNITEN students and their motivation level through an increase in their self esteem. Motivation is defined as a drive or inner urges that make people want to do something. Motivation is developed from within and is manifested as actual acts performed voluntarily. This paper discussed the motivation factors among UNITEN students. (It will look at whether involvement in sports will increase motivation that will lead to positive self-esteem among students.) A study showed low self esteem has been identified as a risk factor for aggression, delinquency, drug abuse and many other (Frankern, 1998). A modified Self Description Questionnaire 3 (SDQIII) designed by University of West Sydney (http://self.uws.edu.au/Research%20Focus/self_instruments.htm) was distributed among two groups of students in UNITEN (N=244) to gather the required data. The data was then analyzed to see the connection between perceived motivations enhanced and increased self-esteem among UNITEN students in sports involvement. Another coherence survey was also conducted in semester 1 2008/2009 where a different tools known as Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), was used with a wider population including 200 new samples from UNITEN and an equal 200 sample from Sport Science program of University Malaya. The data is analyzed and will be compared between the two reputable institutions.