The National Federation consists of the fifty individual state high school athletic and/or activities associations and the association of the District of Columbia. Also affiliated are nine interscholastic organizations from the Canadian Provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan as well as the associations of Bermuda, St. Croix and St. Thomas-St. John. In an effort to promote diversity and inclusiveness in the administration of interscholastic activities, the National Federation provides equal opportunity with regard to service on its Board of Directors and committees.

 The National Federation supports its member state associations' efforts to provide equal opportunity with regard to service on their respective governing boards and committees. The purpose of the National Federation of State High School Associations is to coordinate the efforts of its member state associations toward the ultimate objectives of interscholastic activities. It shall provide a means for state high school associations to cooperate in order to enhance and protect their interscholastic programs. In order to accomplish this, the he National Federation is guided by a philosophy consistent with the accepted purposes of secondary education.

The role of schools to educate youth is an obligation set forth in the laws of each individual state. The authority of high school associations to regulate interscholastic programs is based in some states upon legislation and in other states on litigation. Inherent in the authority granted to each state high school association is the obligation to conduct interscholastic programs which are in the best interests of the students and consistent with the educational objectives of schools. State high school associations assure they meet this obligation by permitting the schools themselves to determine the policies of interscholastic programs.

 The National Federation, through its NFIOA and NFICA Board of Directors has developed and adopted a code of ethics for officials and coaches. Nationwide, there are 35,400 NFICA members and 116,606 NFIOA members. The National Federation has developed and published volleyball rulebooks since 1973 and offers training films and other educational materials to its members as well. Last year volleyball was listed behind basketball and track and field as the most popular sport for girls in secondary schools in the nation. 12,403 high schools fielded teams, with 327,616 girls representing these schools.

 Many thousands of seventh and eighth graders also represent their schools in volleyball. Interscholastic boys' volleyball continues to grow in popularity, with 26,261 boys representing 1,207 schools.