Jabari Thompson, 7, isn’t quite brave enough yet, but he’s getting there. Thompson, one of the smallest in the crowd, tried everything the bigger boys did. That’s why it won’t be long before his short jumps off the four-step ladder into the pool turn into back flips, like his brother’s.

Thompson and his brother Mack, 11, shared their small front yard pool with five other rambunctious boys Sunday afternoon, and it wasn’t long before the boys turned the stepladder into a diving board.

The majority of the older boys took turns doing front flips, back flips, cannonballs and belly flops into the inflatable pool. When it was Jabari’s turn, the big tricks took a little coaxing from dad, Mack.

&uot;Go ahead, Bari,&uot; Mack said from the street, the only place to stand and not get wet.

The quick response, &uot;I can’t do it,&uot; didn’t last long before Jabari made a short hop into the pool and said soon after that jumping was his favorite part.

&uot;Hitting back flips,&uot; Jabari said. &uot;I go under water and kick.&uot;

The elder Mack said he usually limits the number of children in the pool to four, but he made an exception this time. &uot;It’s hard to say no,&uot; he said. &uot;They love people.&uot;

Thompson said his Zoa Street house often serves as a hangout for the neighborhood boys, most of which are around the ages of his children. &uot;I like it in the pool with other boys,&uot; said Jabari, who will celebrate his eighth birthday on Tuesday.