In 1979, Papaleo graduated from Christian Brothers Academy where he was a three-time All-Central New York and one-time All State soccer player.
[2] In 1982, the New York Cosmos selected Papaleo in the first round (first overall) of the North American Soccer League (1968-1984) draft.
[4] The MISL collapsed at the end of the 1991–1992 season and the Sidekicks moved to the Continental Indoor Soccer League.
Papaleo, Billy Phillips and Sidekicks' equipment manager Chris Agnes were pallbearers at his funeral.
[6] Following his retirement in 1995, Papaleo returned to Syracuse to become the head coach of the Christian Brothers Academy boys' soccer team.
[7] Since 2010 to date, Papaleo has been the head coach for player skills development training for the Fayetteville-Manlius Soccer Club Travel Program.