My team is woundering if at the start of auto your robots boulder has to be held by the bot or can be pushed by it (personally i think this question is silly but my mentor insists that i ask.)
You can push a bolder as long as you remain in contact while crosing defenses
In section 3.2 of the game manual it says that the boulder must be fully supported by the robot and in/on it.
2.3
Each MATCH begins with eighteen (18) BOULDERS in the ARENA. BOULDERS are staged before the MATCH in the following manner:
A. Six (6) BOULDERS are staged evenly along the length of the Midline, 3 ft. 9-1/2 in. apart as shown in Figure 2-35. Small rings are used to keep them in place prior to the start of a
MATCH.
B. Three (3) BOULDERS are staged in each CASTLE
C. Three (3) BOULDERS per ALLIANCE are staged on or in each ROBOT or in the CASTLE. See Section 3 (3.2 MATCH Logistics) for more detail.
3.2 MATCH Logistics
When a DRIVE TEAM loads their ROBOT onto the FIELD for a MATCH they may elect to:
A. pre-load one (1) BOULDER in or on their ROBOT such that the BOULDER is fully supported by their ROBOT, or
B. transfer their BOULDER to a HUMAN PLAYER in their CASTLE.
alright thank you for the help 
We should really work on those woundering team mates 
It states that you need to have the ball fully supported by your robot when autonomous begins but during auto, if I’m not mistaken, you may drop the ball and then push it around though the ball would have the probability of going off in a random direction. I am pretty certain this is the case and that you can do it because it doesn’t state that after auto starts you need to fully support it though tell me otherwise if I am wrong