If athletic trainers would like to perform acupuncture in a professional capacity, then they should go to acupuncture school.  “Dry needling” is only acupuncture by another name, performed by people with very little training and only basic understanding of the practice.  For decades the practice of acupuncture has been tightly regulated in this country, and for good reason.  There should be no quickie back-door to legally practicing our medicine, as is true with all licensed medical practices.  Standards matter.