1. VHF/UHF refer to the frequency band they operate on, VHF being 30-300Mhz, and UHF being 300-3,000Mhz. You'll want a UHF radio that operates in the 450-480Mhz band most likely, but check and see what others are running as Dante said.
2. Technically you need a license to operate any unapproved radio equipment (so, anything not and FRS or GMRS radio ) on the FRS and GMRS bands. But you shouldn`t have a problem using it at games.
3. `Programming` refers to inputting frequencies into a radio and assigning them number keys, also can fill the radio with a number of other variables like channel spacing.
Google is your friend, try the following links to learn more about radio communications;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_high_frequency
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General..._Radio_Service
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Radio_Service
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_propagation