 Volleyball Organizations
 The world-wide governing body for volleyball is the
International Volleyball Federation, or the "Federation Internationale de Volley-ball" (FIVB). The Federation is
located in Paris, France. Originated in 1947, fourteen national federations joined together to organize international competition and to standardize the rules of
volleyball around the world. The FIVB rules are used, with some modifications, in all volleyball competition except in high school in the United States.
 The United States Volleyball Association (USVBA) has been designated by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as the
National Governing Body (NGB) for volleyball and its rules in the United States. It was originated in 1928 by George Fisher, who is often called "The Father of Volleyball".
He edited the first volleyball rules guide in America published by the YMCA Rules Committee. The USVBA has six purposes:
- The coordination of rules on a national basis;
- The organization and governance of the national open tournaments;
- The publication and distribution of the official rules;
- The training and qualifying of officials;
- The distribution of information on volleyball activities; and,
- The selection of United States representative teams for international competition.
The USVBA currently oversees recreational participation for men, women, co-ed, senior, and junior participants.
The National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS), a sub-group of the American Alliance for Health,
Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), governs volleyball rules and officiating on the women's collegiate level. It is amazing that women did not compete in an official
volleyball match until 1949, when Huston's women's team won the first USVBA National Women's Open Championship in Los Angeles, CA. Since NAGWS manages women's competition in
educational institutions, the rules are taken directly from international and USVBA rules, with only a few modifications. These modifications (e.g. allowing more substitutions per
individual and per team) are more relevant to an educational setting, which prioritizes learning. The organizations which govern collegiate championships for men and women are the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFSHSA)
governs volleyball rules and competition on the interscholastic level, as well as training officials for high school competition. NFSHSA rules are not taken directly from international rules,
but reflect a concern for adolescents competing in an educational setting. There are several differences between high school rules and USVBA rules, which help young people learn to play the game.
Other organizations which support volleyball on an amateur or professional basis include the American Volleyball  Coaches
Association (AVCA), the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP), the Amateur Athletic Union
(AAU) and the YMCA. On the professional level, a league was established in 1987 (Major League Volleyball) for
professional female volleyball players to participate in indoor completion as a vocation. Many professional leagues provide indoor competition in other countries, such as Italy and France.
Professional beach volleyball has erupted in popularity around the world, beginning with the two-person teams of the Pro Beach Tour. Four-person men's and women's teams playing
outdoor volleyball in professional leagues has become very successful in recent years.
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