Less than three years after the sport officially began in the region, there is a strong blue and gold presence on the national scene.
Notably, Otago provides nine players for the New Zealand under-19 women's side.
It met for a training camp at Kaikorai Valley College over the weekend in preparation for the Oceania Championships in New Caledonia on August 10-18.
The goal is to win and gain qualification for the world championships.
That would be a big step for the Otago contingent.
Team assistant coach Eoin Murray was key in bringing the sport to Dunedin's schools just three years ago.
Alongside a couple of others, he began a club at the University of Otago after having played at a high level in Europe.
Taking it to the schools was the next step, a move which has proven popular.
There are now 20 teams, of about 10 to 12 players, in Dunedin and Kavanagh College boasts the national champion girls and runner-up boys teams.
On top of that, Murray runs an academy for players interested in playing at a higher level.
Handball is played on a futsal court and has similarities to it - the crucial difference being players use their hands.
There is contact, although players cannot knock others to the ground, and they have to bounce the ball as they run with it.
In Europe it is hugely popular and ranks behind only football in many countries.
The top players are national heroes and the most recent world championship clocked up a viewing audience of one billion people.
One of its strengths is that it suits a wide range of people.
''Generally, handball players are athletic, fast, not afraid of contact,'' Murray said.
''So what we're looking for is people that can move explosively, quickly - throw would be nice - but we can teach people that.
''So we're looking for athletic people, but we've got places for everybody.
''There's different positions, such as the pivot, requires a different body type to someone who plays on the wing.''
Murray hopes to continue growing the school league, while establishing a senior competition was a goal for next year.
While some sports have an initial surge of popularity before dying off, he is confident handball will kick on.
As well as appealing to the ''Kiwi attitude'' he said the fact that it was indoors and not expensive to play were also drawcards.
